from 1,460€

Great 4.4rating (78)

Wildlife Rehabilitation Supporter

location
4 - 24 weeks  Â·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Great 4.4  Â· 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Good response rate

Highlights

  • Delve into the wonders of Costa Rica's unique biodiversity, nurturing your passion for nature.
  • Live and work near dream beaches, embraced by lush rainforests, making paradise your everyday reality.
  • Discover the breathtaking landscapes, from volcanoes to jungles, igniting your sense of wonder.
  • Fuel your zeal for animal protection, contributing to the preservation of Costa Rica's remarkable fauna.
  • Elevate your resume with international volunteer experience, showcasing your dedication to global impact.

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

Support wildlife protection in Costa Rica. Help provide care for exotic rescued animals in this meaningful wildlife sanctuary. 🦥

The Program 

The wildlife sanctuary is run by a Costa Rica-based nonprofit focused on rescuing and restoring native wildlife. This animal rescue center is located on the beautiful Caribbean side of Costa Rica, near the Talamanca Old Port Beach Resort. The sanctuary provides temporary or permanent ...

About the program

The Program 

The wildlife sanctuary is run by a Costa Rica-based nonprofit focused on rescuing and restoring native wildlife. This animal rescue center is located on the beautiful Caribbean side of Costa Rica, near the Talamanca Old Port Beach Resort. The sanctuary provides temporary or permanent shelter for sick, injured and orphaned animals that cannot survive in the wild. Many monkeys and sloths have found a safe home here, as have other mammals, birds and reptiles.

The center has cared for thousands of animals since it opened about 12 years ago. It can look back on years of experience and has professional staff in all areas of rehabilitation. The sanctuary is the only center in this region of Costa Rica and helps more than 800 animals each year.

The Animal Rescue Center provides 24-hour veterinary care and comfort to these animals. The main goal is to rehabilitate and reintroduce animals to their natural habitat. The rescue center has its own nature reserve to serve this purpose. It is not always possible to reintroduce animals into the wild for health or behavioral reasons though. The animals have found their new home in the sanctuary, and although they are kept in captivity, they can still live safely and be well cared for.

The center houses about 100 animals that cannot be released (number may change at any time). These animals play an important role because with them, through environmental education, people can become aware of the problems that local wildlife is facing every single day. Sloths, monkeys, ocelots, reptiles and many others live with a high quality of life in over 20 facilities prepared and conditioned for each animal species.

The center is open to day visitors who want to learn more about the flora and fauna of Costa Rica. Visitors come from all over the world to learn more about the reasons why animals enter the sanctuary and why, unfortunately, these animals have become permanent residents here. Admission fees for visitors are an important source of income to enable the Center to continue its wonderful work in animal welfare and conservation.

The Location

The animal rescue center has a truly privileged location on the coast of the Caribbean Sea, close to the beach town Puerto Viejo de Talamanca surrounded by spectacular beaches and lush green rainforests full of exotic flora and fauna. This is a haven for those looking for fun and relaxation.

It is a paradise for beach and surf lovers thanks to crystal clear waters and great waves for beginners and experts. In addition to surfing and sunbathing, this area offers activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, bodyboarding, mountain biking, kayaking, horseback riding, canopy tour, cultural tours to indigenous communities, and visits to National Parks and Nature Reserve. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a lively beach town that still maintains an authentic feel. Before it became a tourist attraction, it was a small fishing village. Today, you will find many restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shops selling local crafts and products. It is located 55 kilometers southeast of Puerto Limón and about 16 kilometers south of Cahuita. San José, the country’s capital, is about a 4-hour drive away.

What we expect

  • Be tolerant 

Please do not put prejudices of the foreign culture and other people into your luggage. You do not need that during your stay abroad! On the contrary, tolerance is a very important feature if you want to be successful and have fun while volunteering abroad. Respect the foreign culture, the other habits and the different mentality with great respect. While the other way of working may not always make much sense in your eyes, the goal of volunteering abroad is not to criticize or smile at people for acting and doing, but to work with them for a good cause. 

  • Be adaptable 

On a trip abroad, especially in developing countries, you leave your home comfort zone. It is very important that you are ready to adapt to a different life situation. In Latin America, you certainly will not find the usual standards of home again. Especially volunteer projects in developing countries are often located in very secluded areas in the middle of beautiful nature or you live with a local host family, who belongs to a foreign culture. But that's the exciting thing about volunteering abroad! Immerse yourself in a foreign land, experience culture, traditions and people up close, learn from them, just let go and adapt to the other life circumstances. A unique experience that will mature and grow you as a person! 

  • Team spirit 

In a voluntary work, the team idea is always over self-interest. Working in a team is fun and brings good mood and variety! So, for your volunteer work abroad, you should bring along a great deal of team spirit, because you always work together with other people, be it volunteers from other countries or local project staff. However, when so many foreign and diverse cultures meet, teamwork can become a whole new challenge. Even more important, that you have the ability to communicate in a group, work constructively and fairly and do not want to punch through your will at all costs. 

  • Be helpful and responsible 

For most projects, volunteers who "do a good job" are most appreciated. By participating in a voluntary service abroad, you are consciously choosing to work in another country. You are not on a vacation trip. So, you have choosen to offer your help and valuable time to other people, nature protection or animals welfare. What really matters is your helpfulness! A really very important and unavoidable trait is the sense of responsibility. The volunteer project is counting on your support and your cooperation has been tightly scheduled. A high level of responsibility is the alpha and omega. During your volunteer work in Latin America, you are assigned to certain areas of activity that you must do on your own. Please take your role as a volunteer very seriously and carry out your tasks in the project conscientiously and carefully. 

  • Be flexible 

Be prepared for the fact that volunteering in Latin America is much different from what you know or are used to at home. The Latin Americans have a completely different order, time and work understanding. Even their logic of approaching certain things may not always make much sense in your eyes. The different language and culture can quickly lead to misunderstandings or communication problems. An important principle for you: always be flexible and spontaneous! You will soon realize that there is a solution for all situations and that you can quickly develop a plan B from a problem. 

  • Be proactive and take initiative 

During your voluntary work abroad, do not expect someone to explain to you in a big way what needs to be done, where and when. Often there is only a brief introduction and then your proactivity and initiative are asked. Get actively involved, offer your help and see where you can best apply your skills and strengths. It is always great when volunteers constructively and friendly affix ideas and suggest their own small projects.


Typical day

At animal rescue centers, volunteers help with the daily work of cleaning and maintaining the facility, as well as caring for and feeding the animals. Volunteers learned a lot about caring for and respecting Costa Rica's wildlife. Volunteers usually work from 7 AM in the morning until 5 PM in the ...

Typical day

At animal rescue centers, volunteers help with the daily work of cleaning and maintaining the facility, as well as caring for and feeding the animals. Volunteers learned a lot about caring for and respecting Costa Rica's wildlife. Volunteers usually work from 7 AM in the morning until 5 PM in the afternoon with a very long lunch break. As the sunrise is very early in Costa Rica, the activities also starts quite early throughout the country.

Intensive care of temporary and permanent animal residents would not be possible without the great help of dedicated volunteers. Animal lovers from all over the world are invited to volunteer at this animal rescue center and gain a truly life-changing experience. Age and origin have nothing to do. All volunteers who are interested in participating in animal welfare are welcome to join this amazing volunteer project.

Although no specialized knowledge or professional experience is necessary, volunteering carries a lot of responsibility. The sanctuary takes its responsibility to the animals very seriously. Paying insufficient attention can have detrimental effects. The main duty and emphasis is on caring for the animals. You are in charge of their tiny lives.

The work of the volunteers may include, but is not limited to:.

  • preparing food for the animals
  • giving food to animals
  • cleaning and maintaining the animals' enclosure
  • constructing and remodeling enclosures
  • ensuring that the animal park's fences are secure so that the animals cannot get out

Every Monday morning is dedicated to new volunteer training. You will meet the other volunteers, take a tour, and receive all the details you require to begin your volunteer work.


Free-time activities

In Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica, you can enjoy a variety of activities and experiences: 

  • Explore the stunning beaches such as Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita, and Playa Punta Uva for sunbathing, swimming, and water sports.
  • Puerto Viejo is a surfer's paradise with great waves for all levels. ..

Free-time activities

In Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica, you can enjoy a variety of activities and experiences: 

  • Explore the stunning beaches such as Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita, and Playa Punta Uva for sunbathing, swimming, and water sports.
  • Puerto Viejo is a surfer's paradise with great waves for all levels. Take a surf lesson or ride the waves on your own. 
  • Go on guided jungle and wildlife tours to spot sloths, monkeys, toucans, and other exotic animals. 
  • Hike the trails of Cahuita National Park, where you can see wildlife, snorkel, and enjoy beautiful coastal views. 
  • Visit nearby waterfalls like Uvita Waterfall and Bribri Waterfall for refreshing swims and photo opportunities. 
  • Learn about the chocolate-making process on a cacao farm tour and taste delicious, locally-made chocolate.
  • Rent a bike to explore the area and enjoy the scenic coastal routes. 
  • Puerto Viejo comes alive at night with a vibrant nightlife scene. Enjoy reggae music, dancing, and beachfront bars.


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak Spanish (basic level) or English (basic level)

Education Requirements

at High School level

Required Documents

CV and Registration From

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 07:00 - 16:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by South America Inside

Program fees include:

  • Shared room in Volunteer House
  • Advice from our experienced staff
  • On-going support via WhatsApp, phone or mail
  • Elaboration of your application profile in Spanish
  • Your placement in the volunteer project
  • Pre-departure information
  • Packing list
  • Country handbook
  • Intercultural guide
  • On-site volunteer coordinator
  • 24/7 emergency number
  • Advice on travel insurance
  • Certificate of participation

Accommodation

The nearby volunteer residence houses volunteers in shared dorm rooms with shared bathrooms. Beautiful gardens and a lush jungle can be seen from the house. With views of nature, the rooms are cozy and well-lit.

Volunteers can store their food and make their meals in the fully stocked kitchen. Mealtimes are typically a wonderful opportunity for the volunteers to cook and interact with one another.

A short distance from one of the most stunning beaches in the Caribbean is the volunteer house, which is situated next to the animal rescue facility. Restaurants and supermarkets are also close by if you want to go grocery shopping or go out to eat.

There is access to WiFi.

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Airport Pickup at Juan Santamaria International Airport

An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.

Food & Beverages

Food, snacks or beverages are at extra costs.

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in San Jose. We assist you to find cheap flights to Costa Rica. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Costa Rica provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Costa Rica you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Costa Rica. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

The volunteer work can be joined throughout the year. The arrival at the volunteer house is always on Sundays while the volunteer work itself starts on every Monday with an orientation session for all new arrived volunteers.

IMPORTANT: Volunteers need to submit a TB test certificate from your country or certificate of being vaccinated against TB a couple of weeks before your arrival!

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

4 weeks (min. stay) 1,460€
5 weeks 1,634€
6 weeks 1,809€
7 weeks 1,984€
8 weeks 2,158€
9 weeks 2,333€
10 weeks 2,507€
11 weeks 2,682€
12 weeks 2,857€
24 weeks (max. stay) 4,952€
Average fees 285€/week

Program fees

285€ per week 4 - 24 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

4 - 24 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with South America Inside during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

South America Inside

Great 4.4 rating (78 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2003

Verified by Volunteer World

  Good response rate

Coordinated by

Marion

Spoken languages: Spanish, German, English

About the project

South America Inside promotes intercultural, linguistic and educational exchanges. Its volunteer programs are addressed to students, professionals and retirees.

Meet your organization

South America Inside is an intercultural management agency, founded back in 2003, which specializes in the promotion of programs abroad, language travel and educational programs throughout Latin America.

Since 2007, to enrich the experience of our global-minded clients and to provide them with even more possibilities, South America Inside has been expanding their program offerings throughout South and Central America.

Working together with some of the best language schools in Latin America, South America Inside provides high quality language courses in almost every Latin American country.

Thanks to a professional team of motivated and friendly staff, South America Inside has been very successful over the past several years and have been able to establish an outstanding network of what we call "Insider Contacts." To enrich the experience of their clients and to provide them with more possibilities, South America Inside has been expanding our program offerings throughout Central and South America, in addition to our well-established Chilean programs.

Volunteer Work

Do you dream of staying abroad while doing something positive? Are you looking for a unique experience that will leave a mark on your life? Then a Volunteer Work program in South America or Central America is perfect for you!

With South America Inside you can combine an adventure abroad with social commitment, and create lasting memories in Latin America. Support the protection of endangered species; help a local community construct new homes; give new hope to impoverished children.

The possibilities to lend a hand are diverse, as there are the many places where help is needed. We have classified our volunteer projects in different areas so you can easily find the one (or more!) projects that best match your needs and interests.

Why with us

There are many persuasive reasons that speak in favor of South America Inside when it comes to selecting your perfect provider of language, study and volunteer travel abroad. Following, we have prepared a short summary so that you can get us to know a little better.

Our Insider benefits at a glance:

  Regional Experience
Over one decade (established in 2003) of dedication to language, work and study travel programs in Latin America. Thanks to our long standing work and life experience in the South American continent, we know this region really well. Therefore, we can help and inform you in a professional and competent way.

  Multifaceted Offers
Over time we have developed new programs to offer a wide array of work abroad opportunities to our clients. We have been pioneers in launching new exchange programs, as we have been the first in offering Work & Travel/Working Holiday and Farm Stays in Chile and successfully introduced these programs into the market back in 2005. Since 2012, we are the only agency to offer this type of program in Costa Rica.

  Insider Advice
Despite living in the modern era of the internet, we know that reliable and competent advice is still an important criterion for most of us. At South America Inside, you will find the benefits of an internet provider and an independent travel agency. We will be glad to pass on our extensive knowledge and regional experience.!

  Location
It is difficult to run programs when there is nobody “on the ground” to evaluate existing options and search for new opportunities. So, we are located in Chile, on location, and we know everything that is going on first hand. We know what it is like to live as a foreigner in South America and will be happy to assist you in making your stay unforgettable!

  Independence
South America Inside is an independent provider of language courses, internships, volunteer work, Farm Stays and Work & Travel programs in Latin America. We neither depend financially nor structurally on any other company, language school, association or organization. Therefore, we are able to give personalized information in accordance to your needs and availability.

•  Multilingual Team

Our team is multilingual and international! We speak fluent English, Spanish and German, as well as some French and Portuguese. With our customers, we can communicate in their native language and we avoid misunderstandings with local partners by communicating in Spanish with them. You can be sure that there will be an English-speaking contact person for you before, during, and after your stay.

  Customer Service
Excellent customer service is one of the most important goals for South America Inside, and this is evident with the positive feedback we regularly receive from our many happy clients. Emails are answered within 48 business hours and every client is treated with the same friendliness and expertise.

  Gapless and Accurate Information flow
With South America Inside you will have one and the same contact person before, during and after your trip. With that said, we guarantee a gapless and accurate information flow and you will always be very well informed.

  Approved Program Places
Many of our program places, especially in the area of internships and volunteer work, are designed in the way that they will be recognized by most universities, colleges or academies.

78 reviews Â· rating4.4

Laetitia CRÉTÉ rating1.6

2021 at Wildlife Rehabilitation Supporter

I applied to this project in order to provide care for exotic rescued animals. However I had no contact with animals. The mainly reason is because I only staid 2 weeks and the staff did not want to teach to everybody how to feed animals. My tasks were to clean areas of the center, paint, find some ...
My stay was really great! The host families were super nice. The Spanish school was very good (and really great!) ... even if it was quite difficult at the beginning, if you do not speak any Spanish, because the lessons take place exclusively in Spanish ....! But the classmates helped out in English ...
lyne bourbonnais rating3.8

2024 at Eco Farm Worker

j'ai bien aimé mon expérience à Antigua qui est une superbe ville facile à visiter. Vivre dans une famille, y prendre les repas est une très belle incursion dans la vie guatémaltèque. et quoi de mieux pour l'immersion en langue espagnole! eco farm: bien qu'au départ je n'ai pas bien saisi ...
GERALDINE QUIRKE rating3.2

2024 at Work in a National Park

When I scheduled volunteer time the indication was that there was a limited number of volunteers based on the projects/work to be done. As more and more volunteers arrived i realized that we were more valued for the money we paid than for the limited amount of work to be done. Also, I felt that ...
Emilie Hasni rating4.2

2023 at Help Save Sea Turtles

Magnifique expérience avec les tortues et avec les autres volontaires aussi. Le cadre est magnifique, les couchers de soleil et les balades dans la nature autour du lieu du volontariat sont superbes. Petite info : si tu veux avoir internet, le seul réseau qui fonctionne est Kolbi. Nous on a ...
Ich bin gut auf der Osterinsel angekommen. Wurde von dem Projektleiter am Flughafen abgeholt. Er hatte sogar eine Kollegin mit, die deutsch spricht, sollte ich mit spanisch nicht so gut umgehen können. Echt toll! Die Unterkunft ist gut und ordentlich und groß, sie liegt am Ende der Ortschaft, ...

Location

Americas > Central America > Costa Rica > Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

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Contact Marion
  Good response rate
Spanish, German, English

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