About the program
We are always looking for motivated volunteers who would love to help the animals at the center. It would be a pleasure to welcome you. The project is located in Puyo, in 2 hectares of primary forest and we welcome injured and orphaned animals, mostly monkeys. We have about 150 animals with seven species of monkeys, costis or cuchuchos, parrots, turtles, wild rodents and pigs and the first serpentarium in the province for the rescue of snakes.
The "El Paseo de los Monos" shelter functions as an adoption center: orphans are placed in family groups according to species. The objective is to transfer the monkey troops to a virgin forest land near Sangay National Park with the corresponding research and previous studies carried out by scientists.
We have a great dream, to acquire an extension of territory, free of hunters, deforestation, invasion and urban growth. The chronogram is as follows:
- By the land we have already visited.
- Build infrastructure for the animals and the people responsible for monitoring the project.
- Mobilization of the animals.
- Follow-up and monitoring of the troops by scientists.
This center will be designed to receive all types of animals living in zoos and dispersed centers or other wildlife centers.
FIRST DAYS
Upon arrival, we will welcome you and introduce you to the animals, the parks (most of the animals are not kept in cages but in large native forest parks) and show you how the house works. We will provide you with all the necessary working tools for the different tasks and you will be able to train with the working staff to perform your tasks. In addition, we will introduce you to our rules and regulations regarding animal interactions. The safety of volunteers, staff and animals is of the utmost importance to us, as we work with wild animals. No volunteer may enter a park containing a group of animals alone and if necessary, volunteers will always be accompanied by one of the zookeepers.
Regular days
Once you are set up, you will work six days a week, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Please note that all volunteers must always arrive on time, because the animals are waiting for their food. Each volunteer has one day off per week, which is arranged at the beginning of the week to ensure that there are enough volunteers working every day. As we want all volunteers to experience every task of the project, you will rotate activities between cooking, washing dishes and cleaning the facilities, for everyone's convenience.
Working with the animals
The day starts at 8 am cleaning the animals' dishes, preparing and disinfecting food, feeding the animals, curing them if necessary (with experienced staff), observing the animals and checking if the enclosures are tightly closed or need fixing. It is important that the animals are fed and provided with fresh water before 9 am.
For the welfare of the animals, any strange behavior should be noted and reported to the caretakers and zookeepers. That is why one of the most important things to do is to carefully observe each of the animals inside the shelter.
The food storage house, animal dishes, cages and also the volunteer's house (kitchen, bathroom, etc.) should always be disinfected and clean for the safety of the people working in the program and the animals. There may be inspections by the Ministry of Environment, Health or Tourism at any time.
The second feeding of the animals begins at 2:00 pm.
The day ends when all the animals have been fed and cared for and their facilities are clean of food scraps.
All volunteers help transport and arrange the vegetables in the food storage room.
Working with tourists
Visitors arrive from 9:00 until 17:00. Volunteers can help guide the tourists, assist in taking care of and watching over the visitors so that they do not touch or feed the animals. It is not possible for them to enter with food, as the animals could steal it.
The volunteers in charge of the entrance have to charge visitors and give basic instructions before they enter the park.
Clean the floor of the park, as there may have been tourists who unconsciously left their garbage which would endanger the animals and the rainforest.
