Victims of the fire

“Take a look at these miracles! I heard my dog barking at a burnt, hollow tree. I thought he was a bit crazy—you know, he’s an old dog. But then I decided to take a closer look. Look what I found: parrot chicks! They haven’t even opened their eyes yet! I think their mother was either burnt or had to fly to another area because of the fires.”

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Curepa, a cowboy from Bolivia, watched the farm where he works almost disappear in the fires that swept through the country weeks ago. People told me, “He’s a tough guy. He’s usually in a bad mood and doesn’t talk much. I don’t think he’ll want his photo taken.” But when I saw him at home, surrounded by little cats and dogs, I thought maybe he wasn’t quite like that.

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After showing me the areas burned by the fires, he brought out a bucket holding these two little ones. I don’t think he’s as grumpy as people said—after all, feeding baby birds several times a day with a tiny spoon takes a lot of patience and care. Not all the pups and chicks who lost their parents in the fires have been lucky enough to find someone willing to look after them.