A review by kristineisreading
The Puma Years by Laura Coleman

3.5

I've been an animal lover for as long as I can remember. I've never doubted that animals have their own individual personalities, quirks, likes, dislikes, fears, etc. The animals we meet in this book prove that. When Laura first arrives at the rescue park in 2007 (I think - don't fact check me, I'm not great with dates), she immediately gets up close and personal with some of their residents, including a couple of traumatized howler monkeys that live in camp. Her main responsibility, however, is to care for and walk a puma (aka mountain lion aka cougar) named Wayra. At first they are frightened of each other, but slowly their bond grows. Laura comes to understand Wayra and becomes so attached to her that a one month stay turns into three months turns into years of repeat trips back to visit. It's a story of self-discovery and finding purpose in life. In many ways, Laura grows up in the jungle. On a larger scale, this all happens against a background of climate change, deforestation, and poaching, forcing Laura and the other volunteers face to face with some dark realities. They fight forest fires, turn away animals that they don't have room for, lose animals to thieves. They battle swarms of bugs, swamps, lack of funding, isolation. It's not an easy way to live, but they do it out of a deep dedication to the animals in their care. 

At the time of this review, the park is still existent and taking sponsorships for the animals under their care, which you can explore here: https://www.intiwarayassi.org/sponsor-an-animal