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.