What Happens in the Pre-Release Area at Las Pumas?

The pre-release area is part of our Rescue Center, which is completely closed to the public. It is the most isolated area, where the final stage of rehabilitation takes place for animals that, after being raised or treated in quarantine, are soon to return to their natural habitat.

This area includes two spacious enclosures for felines or medium-sized mammals, a long enclosure for birds, a semi-open space for primates, and another enclosure for small mammals—all immersed in tropical dry forest. We also have monitoring equipment to observe the animals both inside the enclosures and those who visit from the surrounding forest, and for over five years, we’ve gathered significant data from this area.

Currently in pre-release, we have a kinkajou (Potos flavus), two ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), Xochilt and Abril, who are soon to be released; another younger ocelot, Clara, who arrived at the end of last year and still needs a couple more months before release; and a margay (Leopardus wiedii), Nimbu, who arrived this year at five months of age.

Our staff always gives their best effort in the rearing and recovery of these animals. However, it’s important to remember that it must be carefully verified whether an animal truly needs to be rescued—because the care we can provide will never match that of its natural mother, and often the animal’s survival depends on that distinction.