Most folks might guess that wildlife in a sanctuary would be fairly skittish. After all, many are young and growing up after the misfortune of losing their parents to poachers or car collisions. Some who live here were captive-born, and do not know how to return to the wild and survive.

Amazingly, these resilient creatures were curious about us human visitors, and even permitted us to get quite close! One of these remarkable creatures at the sanctuary in rural Peru was this gorgeous Scarlet Macaw. He minded his own business, deliberately preening atop his perch four feet off the ground. I had hoped to see a macaw, but assumed that the sighting would be fleeting and with binoculars to see one far away. I felt so grateful to see one up close, to have the chance to admire the vibrant plumage and study his behavior for quite a while before it was time to continue on into the Amazon.