“My blindness is not dark because you are there. No one is in the black night while they have the sun of another heart by their side.” – Teachings of Estanislao Monte (the blind puma).
The Pumakawa Animal Reserve in Argentina, which is led by Kai Pacha, took in a blind puma named Estanislao. He went blind as a cub as a result of being run over by a harvester. That meant that Estanislao had no chance of survival on his own in the wild.
“In the area of General Cabrera, Córdoba, a harvester ran over two puma cubs that were in a pit, frightened,” shared Kai.
They might have been looking for prey, alternative food to what the brushland can no longer provide. “This is a reality. On the one hand, it pushes us to work out the environmental situation.
A family who witnessed what happened saw the mother take one of the cubs but not the other. They decided to give first aid to the abandoned cub, Estanislao
As Estanislao’s blindness was irreversible, he would not have been able to survive in the wild
“Estanislao could not survive in nature, so our challenge is to find a way for him to live comfortably. To find the techniques and strategies for his needs,” shared Kai on Instagram.
After his wounds healed, the family brought him to Pumakawa where he was taken care of by Kai Pacha and her dog Mojo
Image credits: pumakawareserva
Over time, they developed a beautiful bond based on trust, and Estanislao now lives a happy and fulfilling life, despite his blindness
Image credits: pumakawareserva
Image credits: pumakawareserva
Kai’s house is made of mud, and the heat from a salamander stove blends with the scent of burning palo santo in the air. It is situated within the two hectares now occupied by the reserve premises, but is set apart from the rest;
Image credits: pumakawareserva
Image credits: pumakawareserva
Image credits: pumakawareserva
Image credits: pumakawareserva
Image credits: pumakawareserva