Home | Laura Coleman

"THE PUMA YEARS is a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the animals rescued by a sanctuary, Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi, in Bolivia. And it is the heartwarming story of the relationship that grew up between Laura Coleman and a puma, a relationship that only deepened over the years. I visited the sanctuary years ago – what a wonderful place, dedicated staff and passionate volunteers. Engaging and inspiring – you will love this book."

Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE,

Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute

& UN Messenger of Peace

Published by Little A

Proceeds from THE PUMA YEARS support Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi

In THE PUMA YEARS, I share the story of my journey in the Amazon jungle, where I fell in love with a magnificent rescued puma, who changed my life.

Laura was in her early twenties and directionless when she quit her job to backpack in Bolivia. Fate landed her at a wildlife sanctuary on the edge of the Amazon jungle where she was assigned to a beautiful and complex puma named Wayra. Wide-eyed, inexperienced, and comically terrified, Laura made the scrappy, make-do camp her home. And in Wayra, she made a friend for life.

They weren’t alone, not with over a hundred quirky animals to care for, each lost and hurt in their own way: a pair of suicidal, bra-stealing monkeys, a frustrated parrot desperate to fly, and a pig with a wicked sense of humor. The humans too were cause for laughter and tears. There were animal whisperers, committed staff, wildly devoted volunteers, handsome heartbreakers, and a machete-wielding prom queen who carried Laura through. Most of all, there was the jungle—lyrical and alive—and there was Wayra, who would ultimately teach Laura so much about love, healing, and the person she was capable of becoming.

Set against a turbulent and poignant backdrop of deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and forest fires, THE PUMA YEARS explores what happens when two desperate creatures in need of rescue find one another.