NATUWA Wildlife Sanctuary

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rating

4.4

Great


14

Reviews


30

Years in business

Natuwa Macaw Sanctuary is a place that provides refuge and protection to the wild animals that have been victimized by human actions.
The Sanctuary

The Macaw Sanctuary NATUWA was created in the year 1994 by Costa Ricans Mainor Khayyan and Rodolfo Orozco for their grand admiration for the psittacidaes, like the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao), the Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) and other wild parrots. In addition, the ...

Review Description

The Sanctuary

The Macaw Sanctuary NATUWA was created in the year 1994 by Costa Ricans Mainor Khayyan and Rodolfo Orozco for their grand admiration for the psittacidaes, like the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao), the Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) and other wild parrots. In addition, the Sanctuary began as a result of their preoccupation with the constant threat that these emblematic birds face, the loss of their natural habitat and their extraction from the forest as pets. For these reasons there has been an incredible reduction in the population of native wild macaws in Costa Rica, further highlighting the importance of such a sanctuary of conservation.

  • CONSERVATION

The Macaw Sanctuary has the primary purpose to conserve native, wild macaws of Costa Rica and develop a captive management and breeding program to rescue, rehabilitate and reintroduce them into the wild, with support from the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), the National Police and volunteers from civil society. Additionally, the Sanctuary facilitates programs of ecological restoration, environmental education, ecotourism and wildlife rescue. 


  • ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION
The Macaw Sanctuary has been developing a native forest reserve to offer as a benefit to all the animals in the region, as well as those of the project. Since 2000, the trees we have planted have provided food, water and habitat to hundreds of macaws, parrots, sloths, iguanas and howler monkeys, both residents and visitors. Many migratory birds also temporarily visit this oasis to restore their energy and continue their continental journey. The vegetation of the sanctuary, with abundant almond beach trees, jobos, guasimos, senizaros also provides a permanent home for many animals in the area to find refuge.

  • WILDLIFE RESCUE
The Macaw Sanctuary Natuwa recieves confiscated animals from the System of National Areas of Conservation (SINAC), National Police or Fire, and civil society volunteers. NATUWA supports the rescue, rehabilitation and liberation of the native fauna of Costa Rica.

  • ECOTOURISM

The Macaw Sanctuary Natuwa has developed a guided, ecotourism experience for the Costa Rican society and international public. This personalized experience allows guests to make interesting observations and have their questions answered. During the guided tours, guests also learn about ecological themes focusing on the conservation of our forests and the protection of Costa Rican fauna.

Along the trails, visitors learn about the animal species that live in the Sanctuary – jaguars, macaws, tapirs, monkies, etc – their natural history and the actual problems that are impacting their extinction.

The ecotourism program also serves as a bridge with the local community, providing job opportunities and economic support so that we can continue to rescue, maintain and rehabilitate the animals.

The tour is exclusively lead by a guide. Before entering the sanctuary, visitors recieve an explanation of the important rules: 1.) Do not touch the animals; 2.) Do not talk to the animals; 3.) Do not feed the animals; 4.) Stay on the trails, etc. These rules are in place as to not cause any stress to the animals and to make the visitor’s experience more enjoyable.

  • VOLUNTEER
At NATUWA, we are all animal lovers. However, being an animal lover comes with a lot of responsibility. It is our responsibility to direct our love in a positive manner. Loving an animal does not mean hugging, touching, or showing affection to an animal, but rather having scientific knowledge of how to care for an animal in a way that will allow it to succeed in nature.

Volunteering at NATUWA is a wonderful and unique experience that is perfect for people of all ages and all backgrounds. Volunteers will be able to positively impact the animals of the sanctuary, learn and practice Spanish, meet new people from all over the world and experience a different culture.

We need YOU! Each volunteer has a huge impact on the lives of the animals. With volunteers, we are able to make progress on all projects large and small. Together, we can directly improve the lives of the animals in captivity and focus our attention towards our rehabilitation and release efforts. All of which you can be part of! For more information please visit www.natuwa.com/volunteer

  • SCARLET MACAW
The Reproduction Program of the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) and Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) provides opportunities for the animals to learn the necessary skills for eventual liberation in their natural environments. These skills are only learned through limited interaction with humans, something that many of the confiscated macaws did not have prior. The macaws that are born at the Macaw Sanctuary Natuwa learned these important skills from their parents and other macaws at the project.


  • MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE
The Sanctuary has modern infrastructure for each animal that inhabits the refuge  either temporarily or permanently that goes beyond the requirements requested by Costa Rican wildlife laws.

Enclosures generate the ideal space to promote physical and mental health of non-releasable animals to live together in dignity while in captivity. We also have management infrastructure that allows the rehabilitation of animals that are most fortunate to be prepared for later release into the natural environment for which they belong.

Currently the Macaw Sanctuary NATUWA has:
1. Area for keeping animals
2. Neonatal care
3. Veterinary clinic
4. Quarantine zone
5. Food preparation area
6. Residential area
7. Large enclosures that allow uninterrupted flight (200m circumference)

  • LOCATION

Macaw Sanctuary NATUWA, is located in the Communities of Aranjuez and Pithaya, Province of Puntarenas.


  • Sanctuary Rules for volunteers.
  1. No smoking inside or outside the facilities (Very Important).
  2. Do not talk to animals.
  3. Do not feed the animals (outside feeding time).
  4. When taking pictures, the use of flash is prohibited.
  5. The use of any type of drug is prohibited.
  6. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed.
  7. Be respectful of the staff of the sanctuary (sexual harassment, racism, homophobia or xenophobia will not be tolerated).
  8. Do not allow strangers (outsiders) to enter the sanctuary.
  9. Follow the safety rules according to the activity (gloves, helmet, eyeglasses, boots, pants).
  10. Do not carry any electronic device during working time (Cell phones and camaras).
  11. Insect repellents containing DEET are strictly prohibited.



Contact Person

Rodolfo Orozco Vega

Spoken languages: English, Spanish
  Very high response rate

NATUWA Wildlife Sanctuary reviews

My time in Natuwa was amazing. The staff is friendly and the place is beautiful. I learned many things while I was there and had a really enjoyable time. The vet is really nice and tries her best to make every day different and interesting, all the while keeping it accessible to everyone (pre-vet ...
I really liked my stay at NATUWA. Made a lot off friends and it was a super experience. The work can sometimes be hard but overall I really enjoyed it. The food was fine, a lot of rice and beans but you can expect that when you are in Costa Rica. There could be a little bit more variation in the ...
Pascale Emmisberger rating3.6

2023 at Natuwa Eco-Guardian: Wildlife Rescue &Conservation

I really enjoyed my stay at the Natuwa Sanctuary. We were only around 12/13 volunteers, so the atmosphere was really familiar. There are plenty of beautiful animals to take care off. The work can be hard, when you are cleaning the cages or ranking leaves, so be prepared to work hard and get ...
A range of tasks with the full spectrum of exotic animals, incredible staff and lifelong friends with the other volunteers. The accommodation was basic but comfortable, the food was local style and plentiful, and the Cultural Days were ...
Going to Natuwa was one of the best experiences i’ve had, the place is beautiful and they really take good care of the animals, everyone is working very hard so you must be prepared for that but its really good to have some discipline and a lot of activity that keeps you busy, i met amazing people ...
Our stay at Natuwa was fantastic, people in care of the place are extremely kind . But one horrible experience that should be improved is FOOD. We think that the owner is trying to save money and does not care about volunteers. We were given every day only rice and beans poorly cooked. We were ...

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UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Life On Land