One of the aims of ‘Proyecto des Animales Andinos’ is to seek out conservation programmes and those ordinary people who are passionate about saving and protecting South America’s wildlife.  A chance stop at a petrol station started a chain of events that led to us discovering one such programme and one amazing person.

Carlos  is the lead  person of a local conservation programme in Catamarca called Coelobe  (Commission Ecological of Londres & Belen).  Condor protection is their main love and they do a great job.  We stayed with Carlos at his finca where the group have constructed several Condor rehabilitation cages.

During the time we spent with him there were no Condors, instead he was looking after two rescued Puma cubs, with advice from Buenos Aires zoo.   Their mother had been killed by poachers and the two cubs were ready for selling to the highest bidder.  The Puma has the largest range of any terrestrial mammal in the Americas, it is a top predator and is essential to the balance of nature throughout its range.

Carlos and his team are doing a great job in rehabilitating these superb and beautiful animals.  Eventually they will be released back into the wild at an appropriate location. These two cubs, brother and sister are the lucky ones.  Every morning they are fed on fresh red meat, then they rest and become more active in the evening when they play with each other.