Dear Barn Nature Center Community,

It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the recent passing of our beloved White Crowned Pionus, Jungle. Jungle's journey with us at The Barn Nature Center was one of resilience, healing, and many cherished moments.

Arriving at the very start of our center in 2012, Jungle's story touched us deeply. After outliving her first owner, an elderly woman, and enduring a period of depression and neglect, she found solace and care in our sanctuary. With time, love, and dedicated attention, Jungle's feathers regained their shine, her spirit brightened, and she became a beloved member of our animal family.

On March 29th, 2024, Jungle departed from us, leaving behind memories that will forever remain in our hearts. We came in that morning to discover that she was having repeated seizures and rushed her to an emergency vet in New Jersey. Although we wished there was more we could've done, the Veterinarian determined that, due to her old age and other complications, providing her with a good quality of life was no longer possible. While this was heartbreaking news, at least Jungle was able to pass in the arms of one of her favorite people, our Director, Lizzy. She lived a long and fulfilling life at The Barn Nature Center, and she will be dearly missed.

We estimate Jungle lived for approximately 30 years, and we are grateful that for 12 of those years, she filled our center with her presence, her vibrant colors, and her unmistakable charm. Many of our staff developed beautiful connections with Jungle over the years, as she had a special way of letting you know if she was ok with you petting her. If Jungle approved of pets from someone, she would bow her head to allow them to touch her. If she was not okay with it, she would let you know that, too! Her vocalizations when yelling at people or other animals (like Mr. Beaks) to get away from her were commical. More often than not she was happy to make a friend! Due to this routine of interaction she had, many more staff over the years were able to directly interact with her, more so than our other parrots, Mango and Mr. Beaks.

In her honor, we are reaching out to our community for support. Funds raised in Jungle's name will help cover her emergency veterinary expenses and ensure that we can continue providing the same level of care and compassion to all our animal residents that we were able to give to Jungle.

Thank you for being a part of our community and for your unwavering support. Together, we honor her memory and continue our mission of caring for and protecting all the precious creatures in our sanctuary.

With heartfelt gratitude,

The Team at The Barn Nature Center

Please leave comments with any memories you have of seeing Jungle at the Barn Nature Center. We would love to hear how she may have impacted each one of you. Help us celebrate her legacy and the mark she left on each of us with her characteristic old lady charm.

Donate to the Barn Nature Center in Jungle's Name