Maki is a southern tamandua that was rescued during one of our domestic deworming campaigns in local communities. A resident of a nearby village told us he had found her, but given her extremely young age (only three days old, with her umbilical cord still attached), it was clear she had been separated from her mother far too soon. Sadly, we suspect that her mother was hunted for meat, and the man kept Maki without knowing how to care for such a young animal. Fortunately, she was brought to our center, where she could receive the specialized care she needed.

In her early days with us, Maki required feeding every four hours, including throughout the night. She has since grown significantly and developed quite a personality. Much to her caretakers’ relief, she has now finished her midnight feeds and has started to enjoy more solid foods.

Maki was given her name because, during feeding time, she is wrapped up like a tiny sushi roll, hence, “Maki,” the Peruvian word for sushi.

Every day, her caretakers take her out to explore, encouraging her to develop essential skills for her future. She is learning to climb and displaying natural foraging behaviors, such as searching for ants and termites.

Her next step toward release is a new pre-release enclosure, which will allow her to further develop the skills she will need to survive in the wild. Her rehabilitation and eventual release are among RAREC’s top priorities for this year, and we are incredibly impressed with her progress so far.