You must be wondering, who are the people behind the Makisapa ReWilding? Who started to free the monkeys? It all began in 1991, almost 30 years ago with Angelika Raimann and Remigio Canelos. Of course, this is a love story.
A story about two people not only in love with each other, but also with the rainforest and its biodiversity. Angelika arrived in the Amazon rainforest for a short stay while she was doing fieldwork for her doctoral studies in agronomy. However, she never left as planned, because she met Remigio, a kichwa, and both fell hopelessly in love with each other and with all the life forms in the jungle surrounding them. Their deep love for nature united them greatly and motivated them to take action to protect the Amazon. With the help of Christine and Siegfred von Steiger, they founded amaZOOnico in 1993. In 1994, they got married and formed an Amazonian family, later welcoming two children, Jan and Silvia.
For years, Angelika and Remigio gave life to the project, putting all their effort and wisdom into the protection of the rainforest and its species. Angelika oversaw the animal’s health and wellness from a scientific perspective while Remigio brought his life experience in the Amazon and wisdom inherited from his kichwa ancestors. A unique set of skills, that hugely benefitted the project, including one of their most ambitious efforts, the reintroduction of the endangered spider monkeys.
Tapare, one spider monkey that now roams free in the forests around amaZOOnico, is one of many success stories resulting from Remigio and Angelika´s dedication. Tapare was rescued from Waorani territory. The Waoranies are an indigenous group that still practice hunting and gathering as a main aspect of their livelihoods. In 1998, Remigio went to the home of Omayebi, chief of the nearby Waorani community, where he learned that, as per tradition, Omayebi kept an infant spider monkey. Remigio, showing respect for the Waorani traditions, offered a big fresh fish as an expression of friendliness, expressed his concerns about protecting the health of the rainforest and asked the Waorani chief to let the spider monkey go with him to amaZOOnico so that she can be reintroduced back to the forest and help ensure a thriving population of spider monkeys.
Luckily, life, and Omayebi, gave her a second chance. The waorani chief agreed to hand her to Remigio, showing awareness that the desire to protect spider monkeys exists and is beneficial for all rainforest inhabitants. Remigio´s mission was accomplished, without giving orders but by expressing his convictions and trying to share a vision of living in harmony with the forest. Remigio has always done this silent but influential work because for him the most important thing is to protect nature. He believes it is essential for the indigenous communities to stick together with the common goal of preserving the rainforest. Tapare signifies the start of amaZOOnico’s efforts to protect spider monkeys, she represents hope for her whole species, and seeing her roam free gives us hope for the whole Amazon.
Sadly, in 2011 a painful tragedy affected the amaZOOnico family, Angelika Raimann died in a tragic car accident. Angelika was an essential part of the project; she dedicated all her knowledge and experience with enthusiasm, saving hundreds of animals. The program to rehabilitate and release spider monkeys lives thanks to her passion, and that passion continues to fuel all of us who are part of amaZOOnico.
Angelika and Remigio started a modest project of protecting nature with little more than huge determination, wistfulness and passion for the Amazon and its wildlife. Now it has developed into an exhaustive project that includes not only the protection of the forest but also a way of life in harmony with nature, where locals and people from all over the world can work and take care of the Amazon in numerous ways, such as reintroducing key species into the ecosystem. Here and now, Free the Monkeys is a unique project, part of this prodigious organization, in which you can help protect the monkeys, the forest, and our planet!
