In the summer of 2003, Martha Armenta, President of Mazatlan´s wildlife protection group Conrehabit A.C., moved 100 Pichichine ducklings into her son´s bedroom. The ducklings, which hatch annually on Mazatlán´s Tres Islas, had swum across open waters to the mainland and were found crossing the busy Camarán Sábalo Avenue on their way to inland lagoons, their feeding grounds until maturity. Martha put boxes in the back of her car and rode out to collect them before the brood was decimated by speeding cars. The ducklings stayed in her son´s room, being fed and petted, until they were calm enough to release a few days later into the lagoon at the Mazatlán Aquarium. Meanwhile, a few houses away from her, Conrehabit volunteer Clair Simmons had turned her laundry room into a jungle gym play area for a young Howler Monkey named Pancho. Pancho had been kept as a domesticated pet, but when the exotic allure of the monkey wore off, the owner gave it to Conrehabit. Pancho arrived at Clair´s house sick, malnourished and traumatized. It took a year of Clair´s motherly care and devoted attention for him to recover. Last month, a place was found for Pancho at the Xcaret Zoo in Cancun. Conrehabit arranged for the paperwork and the zoo paid for Pancho´s air transportation. He is now with his own species where it is expected he will thrive, mature and reproduce. Pancho was a product of illegal trade in wildlife, which together with covert hunting, is decimating Mexican wildlife. According to Martha Armenta, Highway 15 which runs through the State of Sinaloa is an obvious smuggler´s route on the way to the US border, for two reasons. Inspection stations along the highway are primarily focused on narcotic trafficking and ignore wildlife traffickers. In addition, despite the fact that trafficking in wildlife falls under Mexico´s federal criminal statutes, law enforcement agents are woefully unfamiliar with the regulations including which animals are protected under the statutes. “The wildlife animals and birds that are smuggled north are sold for hundreds of dollars at the border towns,” said Martha. “They do terrible things to the birds. Immediately upon capture, they clip their wings so short that they go into shock. For every bird that makes it alive to the border, eight die.” It is not only smugglers which concern Conrehabit members. Knowingly, or unwittingly, tourists purchase lizards, parrots and other wildlife in contravention of federal laws. The sellers tell the tourists to put the animals or birds in their suitcases if flying home and they will be fine. Needless to say, the lizard or bird suffocates to death. “If there´s one thing I want to say to tourists,” said Martha, “it is don´t buy wildlife. Vendors on the highway, or the streets, are selling them illegally. They kill the adults to take the young, leaving no adults to procreate.” While fighting an active campaign against wildlife smuggling, the mem-bers of Conrehabit are dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing wildlife closer to home. Originally a wildlife clinic at the Maz-atlán Aquarium star-ted by the late Kittie Jepson and veterinarian Aldo Barragan Arias, the non-profit association has grown to comprise professionals with doctorates and masters in the fields of biology, veterinary medicine and wildlife rehabilitation. The members incorporate their work life with Conrehabit´s goals. Member Sandra Guido of CIAD (Aquaculture Research Center) is

in charge of the Lyugo Estuary north of Maz-atlán. It is here that Conrehabit has installed pre-release cages for hawks and bobcats. In the last year, three bobcats have come into her care. They are subsequently relocated into another habitat away from populous areas. In keeping with Conrehabit´s goal of educating the public on wildlife preservation, Sandra offers group nature walks at the estuary by appointment. “We are looking for volunteers,” said Martha, “to help on these walks, particularly retired English-speaking people, as part of an education program for schools and tourists.” Biologist Isaias Sauceda of the Mazatlán Aquarium, a Board member, does a weekly bird count nature walk through the Laguna de el Acuario, El Bosque and the Laguna del Camaron Sabalo Estuary which is open to groups wishing to know more about local bird species. Another Board member, Sergio Escutia, owns a fish farm in Teacapan. When the government gave Conrehabit several tame hawks recently, he set about building a facility to train raptors in falconry. The reason Conrehabit is successful, said Martha, is not only the expertise they have but also because there are no other rehabilitation programs in the area. They do work closely with the Mazatlán Aquarium in a pelican recovery and protection program, and conservation of the Pichichin Duck. However, the aquarium is not geared for other forms of wildlife rehabilitation. This is where they fill the gap. “At the moment, we have a bobcat ready for release, a boa constrictor which we will release in a field with mice, two baby Guacamayas (Military McCaws) which were confiscated near Esquinapa and a raccoon. The raccoon was kept in a small cage all his life, until one day he bit someone. He was confiscated and will be released away from people. And we recently gave an eagle to a notary who has a farm outside Mazatlán.” Martha expects Conrehabit will see more injured and displaced animals as the area of Nuevo Mazatlan is cleared for human habitation. This previously unpopulated wilderness is the territorial home of fox, bobcat, armadillos and a host of birds and reptiles. To date, there have been few safe places to house current injured animals but that is about to change. With the help of the Global Green Grant Fund, a foundation based in Boulder, Colorado, Conrehabit recently opened a clinic for distressed wildlife in Colonia Pancho Villa. The grant is given to grass roots organizations which are environmentally active. The clinic is located in a house formally owned by the late veterinarian Aldo Barra-gan Arias, who had intended before his death to use it for his practice. In place already are cages for the confiscated and injured animals and birds, and plans are to install an operating room to be financed, they hope, with the help of PROFEPA (environmental protection agency) and individual donations. The clinic will be manned by students from the Marine Sciences School of the University of Sinaloa. In Conrehabit´s future plans, as well, is a breeding program. Martha Armenta is passionate about wildlife. She and the volunteer members of Conrehabit are dedicated to educating the public on the care of our environment through the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured animals and birds. As she says: “We are all a part of nature. If it crashes, so do we.” To report injured wildlife, pelicans or Ibis, call Conrehabit at 044-669-912-0890. To report injured seals or other mammals, call the Mazatlán Aquarium at 981-7815. See the Conrehabit Website at : www.faunamexico.com, or phone 940-7852 for more information