Sonny, a giant anteater, arrived at RAREC in late May 2023 after being confiscated by authorities from the illegal wildlife trade. Unfortunately, she came to us without a known backstory, but it was clear she had been through a rough time. She had a cut on her head and had not eaten in days. After a physical check-up, she was found to be healthy but severely hungry and dehydrated.
At just around seven months old, Sonny needed specialized care to recover. In the wild, giant anteaters consume up to 30,000 ants and termites daily, so finding the right diet was crucial for her rehabilitation. After testing various foods, we found the perfect nutritional mix, and she has since thrived under our care.
As part of her rehabilitation, Sonny was moved into a large pre-release enclosure in early 2024. Here, she has been learning essential survival skills and demonstrating excellent natural behaviors, making her a strong candidate for release. We have been incredibly impressed with her progress, and her release process has already begun. Ensuring her successful return to the wild is one of RAREC’s priority projects for 2025.
With each passing day, Sonny grows stronger and more independent, and we are hopeful that she will soon be able to return to her natural habitat, where she belongs.
As a nonprofit organization, 100% of your donation goes directly toward our mission, helping provide essential care for our rescued animals. Your support enables us to enhance their enrichment, improve their diet and enclosures, and provide necessary medications. Each month, we spend $16,000 on the upkeep of our center to ensure the well-being of the animals and the success of our programs.
If you choose to sponsor one of our residents, you‘ll be the first to know about their progress, updates, and special milestones. In appreciation, you‘ll receive a digital certificate, a quarterly newsletter, photos of the sponsored animal, a hand-made keychain, and a fact sheet about your sponsored animal.
For more information about the animals available for sponsorship and their backstories, please visit the Current Residents page on our website.
This center wouldn’t be what it is without the generous contributions of each and every one of you. Here are a few ways you can support our mission:
Recieve a quarterly update of our projects and animal updates including recent rescues as well as job openings.
