Rescue Endangered Wildlife in Guatemala

Project: Rescuing Endangered Wildlife in Guatemala

The Value of a Life Restored. Following the beginning of an intense year, at ARCAS we reaffirm our conviction: every animal that comes into our hands is an opportunity to heal the damage that human activity has caused to our wildlife. Our work is not limited to clinical care; our true success is measured in the moment when an animal regains its instinct and strength to be free once again. Thanks to the GlobalGiving community, we are not only healing wounds and restoring vitality to these beings but also helping restore the balance of our ecosystems. Your support is essential to our daily efforts and allows species that had lost all opportunity to now have a real future in their natural habitat.

Protecting El Rosario National Park. During the past few months, we have focused our efforts on the active territorial defense of El Rosario National Park. We have worked tirelessly to ensure it remains a safe place through the following actions:

• Constant surveillance: We have intensified preventive patrols. Our ranger team (although small in number) conducts weekly patrols along the park boundaries together with the National Army. This ongoing effort has allowed us to reduce hunting and illegal timber extraction in critical areas.
• Facing fire alongside the community: With the beginning of the dry season, our crews have worked on maintaining firebreaks. However, the most important work has taken place outside the park: dialogue with cattle ranchers and educational talks in rural schools are creating a bond of protection with the community, turning them into allies against wildfires.
• Monitoring and development: Camera trap monitoring is already revealing fascinating wildlife activity that will help us design birdwatching tourism routes, seeking to ensure that conservation also becomes a source of pride and development for local communities.

Specialized Care at the Rescue Center

Activity at the Rescue Center has been relentless: 103 new patients were admitted during this reporting period. Thanks to your donations, this quarter we achieved:

• The acquisition of an infusion pump and a multiparameter monitor has made an enormous difference in the precision of our surgeries and in the recovery of our most critical cases.
• For newborn or orphaned animals, nutrition is everything. We prioritized the purchase of specialized milk formulas and high-quality nutritional supplements, ensuring that these babies grow with the strength necessary to survive.
• Between specialized care and ongoing challenges: We continue working day by day with a Black Hawk Eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus). Its eye injury requires infinite patience from our medical team, but seeing it gradually recover its abilities motivates us not to give up.

Release Achievements. The efforts of last year continue to bear fruit. During 2025, we successfully formed species-specific groups and carried out 5 release events, returning nearly 200 rehabilitated animals back to their natural home.

In addition, we are filled with hope to confirm that the Scarlet Macaws released in 2024 maintain a survival rate above 60%, an extremely positive indicator that validates our reintroduction protocols and the field monitoring we carry out.

Scarlet Macaw Program: We are pleased to report the 100% survival of the 14 macaws born during the previous season. Currently, each individual is progressing through its own rehabilitation process. Since their development depends on health and behavioral factors, we will determine the final number suitable for release as we move closer to our 2029 goal.

In preparation for the next cycle, we have already optimized the breeding area by repairing and replacing nests, installing specialized nesting bedding, and adjusting the diet of breeding pairs to ensure the success of the upcoming breeding season.

Challenges and Sustainability:

Maintaining a rescue center with high standards of excellence is an enormous financial challenge, especially when covering the feeding and medical expenses of newly admitted animals. However, every time we see an animal ready to fly or run free again, we are reminded that the effort is worthwhile.

We are currently working on a corporate outreach phase in Guatemala, seeking companies that, through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, are willing to join the protection of biodiversity. Although the challenge is significant, we are developing strategies that will allow us to establish new partnerships for the benefit of wildlife.

¡Thank you for believing in the work of ARCAS and for being part of this direct impact on the nature of Guatemala!