A Story of Resilience
A Young Howler Monkey’s Journey After Losing Her Mother on Powerlines
On June 6th, at 6 a.m., we received an urgent call from Hotel Costa Verde about a howler monkey being electrocuted. Our team immediately rushed to the site. Upon arrival, they discovered an adult female howler monkey who had passed away after the shock. Clinging to her back was a juvenile, who we later named Athena.
The Initial Assessment and Treatment
Our veterinarian quickly assessed Athena’s condition and began immediate treatment. She received fluid therapy to treat dehydration. Determining the severity of electrocution on the initial exam wounds can be challenging on the intake exam, as they often worsen over the first weeks. Our team monitored Athena’s external wounds and internal health, taking weekly blood samples to ensure her treatment was effective.
Athena’s wounds did worsen during the first weeks, prompting our veterinary team to use tilapia skin bandages, changing them weekly to check for improvements. Fortunately, she responded positively to treatments and began to recover, showing signs of improvement and starting to eat within the first two weeks.
Special Care for a Special Monkey
Howler monkeys are challenging animals to rehabilitate due to their specific dietary needs and social nature. Recognizing this, our team knew Athena needed to be with her own kind to continue her recovery. Working alongside CR Green Airways and International Animal Rescue, we arranged for Athena to be transported to Nosara. There, she would join a group of six monkeys her size and be introduced to a larger group of 26 individuals, preparing them for release back into the wild later this year.
A Brighter Future for Athena
We are thrilled to have been part of Athena’s rehabilitation. Her resilience and the compassionate care from our team have given her another chance. We kept in touch with the veterinary team at International animal rescue and they gave us updates this week that she has made some friends with another juvenile the same age named Sky.
Athena’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience and compassionate care. She has come a long way from that tragic morning, and we look forward to seeing her flourish in her natural habitat soon.