With the imminent departure of our first Bolivia 2010 going overseas we are awash in the office with excitement. Not only will they be learning the language and the culture but they will be providing much needed help in the new animal park of Jacj Cuisi. Followed by heading off into the great unknown with the more than capable Mr. Matt Brimble our Bolivian Country Director.

They will be spending their time between the two parks of Jacjcuisi and Machia. Though excited for them all I am also insanely jealous!

Here are a few friendly faces they are likely to meet

Spider monkey

The disproportionately long limbs and long prehensile tail makes them one of the largest New World monkeys and gives rise to their common name. Spider monkeys live in the upper layers of the rainforest and forage in the high canopy, from 25 to 30 m (82 to 98 ft). They primarily eat fruits, but will also occasionally consume leaves, flowers, and insects. Due to their large size, spider monkeys require large tracts of moist evergreen forests and prefer undisturbed primary rainforest. They are social animals and live in bands of up to 35 individuals but will split up to forage during the day.

Jaguar

The jaguar is a near threatened species and its numbers are declining. Threats include habitat loss and fragmentation. While international trade in jaguars or their parts is prohibited, the cat is still regularly killed by humans, particularly in conflicts with ranchers and farmers in South America.

Sarah Brimble,  

Sarah can often be found in the parks grooming monkeys, she is a keen fisher and likes nothing more than a good game of Scrabble. She is also the better half of Matt

Matt Brimble

Matt our Country Director spends his time between working in the parks and modeling.

Howler Monkeys

Howler monkeys live in groups where the number of females is greater than the number of males. Groups may have only one male or several males. Unlike most New World monkeys, juveniles of both genders emigrate from their natal groups, so neither adult males nor adults females in a group are typically related. Fighting among group members is infrequent and generally of short duration. However, serious injuries can result. Both males and females may fight with each other. Group size varies by species and by location, with an approximate male to female ratio of a male to four females.