SWCCF 2025 12
Christmas comes early for Neme the Ocelot
Christmas comes early for Neme the Ocelot
Claudia Comelato & José D. Ramírez-Fernández, Costa Rica, OneHealth Costa Rica Alliance
Earlier this year, Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary (AWS) received an urgent call. National park rangers found a male Ocelot kitten abandoned on the side of the road. Eyes glazed, limp, emaciated, dehydrated, and unable to eat solid food, the Ocelot had obviously been separated from his mother. The dedicated veterinary team at AWS did not hesitate. They knew exactly what to do. Precisely because the Ocelot was on death’s doorstep, the AWS team decided to name him Neme, a Boruca indigenous people's word meaning “hopefully.”
After nearly ten months of rehabilitation, carefully implementing specialized protocols for orphaned wild cats, Neme demonstrated all the behaviors required for release. It was time to find a new home for him. AWS team asked OneHealth Costa Rica Alliance (OHCRA) for advice on a suitable location to release Neme.
For several years, OHCRA has been working in the community of Herradura de Rivas. OHCRA ran an environmental education program on small wild cats and had worked with community members to repair chicken coops, thus mitigating negative interactions between felines and people. Herradura de Rivas was the right place to release Neme. Moreover, Reserva Aurora, a private reserve owned by the Mora family, who have a deep love for all living things, was the ideal location. The reserve’s extensive forest cover, minimal human presence, and healthy prey base offered the best possible chance for Neme’s survival.
We are thrilled to share the news that Neme was set free. Through cooperation and dedication, passionate conservation practitioners, the Mora family, and community members will never forget seeing Neme leap from his cage to freedom.
(Video created by BCR using OpenArt AI)
