“I went to Costa Rica to find adventure, I did not expect to find adorable yawning monkey babies.” ~ Todd Bieber

I am writing this from Costa Rica. I came to Nosara with a handful of items on my agenda: zipline, enjoy la playa, and visit a wildlife center. I had no expectations when I e-mailed a man named Steve to ask if I could visit SIBU sanctuary with my mom and two others, but it turned out to be the most important item on our trip itinerary.

I’m trying to find the words to share what our brief three hour visit at the sanctuary was like. But the guy in the following video says it so well that I’m going to leave it to him. You obviously love adorable yawning monkey babies if you clicked on this article… they need you to do three things to help them. Right now!

1. Watch the video:

2. Skip the 90-minute massage and visit SIBU Sancturary if you are ever in Nosara.

3. Become aware. Get interested. Share this post with others.

“The injuries resulting from the monkeys grasping the uninsulated electrical lines or transformers leads are gruesome, painful, and often fatal. If an animal does survive, it will be severely burned and likely loose a hand, Many females have babies in tow when injured. If the infant doesn’t die from electrocution, or the fall from the high lines, then they have to try to survive, injured, orphaned, and abandoned in the jungle.

The odds of survival for these helpless infants are very poor. The low number of naturally surviving infants, compounded with the reckless negligence of deforestation and fragmentation of their habitat is having a devastating impact on the Howler Monkey population. This impact has resulted in an estimated population drop from 107,000 in 1998 to only 37,000 Howler Monkeys in 2004. Current numbers are likely even lower.” From the Nosara Wildlife Rescue website.

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Editor: Kate Bartolotta