Quirqui, the 15-year old grandpa Puma relaxes in his retirement home
Quirqui sadly spent most of his life in the confines of a small cage at the Oruro zoo. He was kept outside during the cold winters, which did damage to his muscles and bones, and was often peed on by a lion in a neighboring cage. Inti wara yassi intervened, and with the help of the mayor of Oruro were able to free Quirqui and allow him to live comfortably in the open space of the parque Machia. Though he is very arthritic due to his hard past, he walks a little bit and enjoys the freedom of his own space and the love and regular visits by volunteers. He is much happier these days...
Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups. Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in 1... ... read more 
