The Wildlife Sanctuary

About the Project

Situated next to the stunning town of Coroico in Bolivia, not far from the country’s capital La Paz, this project is based in a truly incredible wildlife sanctuary, caring for illegally trafficked animals that have been rescued from lives of captivity and cruelty. Established in 2003 as an ecotourism project, the sanctuary began taking in monkeys and parrots that had been rescued from traffickers. Today, the sanctuary is dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and flora in the area.

The problem of animal trafficking in South America has worsened in recent years, as exotic and rare animals have a high monetary value when sold into the pet trade overseas. For this reason, many of Bolivia’s native species are under threat from traffickers, and their populations in the wild are slowly declining. This sanctuary aims to reverse this trend, rescuing animals that were otherwise destined for the international pet trade, and that have been snatched from their natural habitat.

The overall aim of this project is to have a direct, positive impact on the wildlife species in the region, to prevent other animals from being trafficked, and to create a sustainable, eco-tourism venture. The money invested in this project by volunteers and other sources also goes towards local community initiatives, helping to educate indigenous people about the importance of animal conservation and the threats facing their environment due to trafficking.

Volunteers on this project play a vital role in the care of the animals at the sanctuary, enriching their lives with feeding programs and husbandry tasks. Volunteers will also get to create enrichment for the animals at the sanctuary to keep them mentally and physically active. You will also be taking part in maintaining the facilities at the sanctuary, these tasks involve building cages and enclosures and if you intend on staying between 2-4 weeks you can take part in the care bear program. This also means that the sanctuary’s permanent staff are less occupied with the day-to-day running of the sanctuary itself, leaving them with more free time to rescue other animals in danger of being trafficked.

Prior to Arrival

Citizens of most countries can get a tourist card on arrival for up to 90 days. This will be dependent on your nationality however. Please make sure you double check, as this can be subject to change. There are often numerous passport checks, so they must be carried at all times. It is safest to carry photocopies rather than originals. As with most countries, your passport will need to be valid for at least six months in order to gain entry.

Included within the project price is a voucher which allows you to either zipline or go canyoning down the lush canyons of the Vagantes. Both are exciting activities exploring the stunning scenery of the Yungas province - all with an extra pinch of adrenaline! Either add a whole new aspect of adventure when volunteering in Bolivia.