Animal Rescue in the Amazon

In this volunteer project in Ecuador, you will support a sanctuary for wild animals that have fallen victim to the illegal pet trade or that have  been hold as pets. Often they are exempted from customs or other captivity (such as households, hotels, etc.) on the black market and taken to the animal rescue center. Unfortunately, most animals are in life-threatening and absolutely frightening conditions. The station cares lovingly to rehabilitate the animals and to take care of them.

You will work directly with the animals and can experience nature and exotic wildlife up close. With your work, you make a great contribution to the protection and preservation of Ecuadorian wildlife. The project cooperates with native Indian communities of the Amazon rainforest.

The animal rescue center is located in the Ecuadorian rainforest in the middle of the settlement Colonia Bolivar, 35 kilometers outside the city of Puyo. Puyo is located in the province of Pastaza in the beautiful east of the country. It is a small colonial town with about 30,000 inhabitants. The infrastructure of the city is relatively well developed and it is mainly visited by tourists who want to explore the Amazon region. The nearest village to the rescue station is called El Triunfo and can be reached by bus in about 15 minutes. There are small shops selling the most important things.

The surroundings of the sanctuary offer a breathtaking panorama, indescribably beautiful scenery and picture-perfect waterfalls. Despite the location in the rainforest, the heat is tolerable. The temperatures are pleasant and at night it cools off.

The animal rescue center in Ecuador currently hosts about 70 animals (number subject to changes!). Among them are various species of monkeys, pekaris, turtles, coatis, weasels, wild cats and many different species of parrots, birds and reptiles.

In the center, of course, everything revolves around the welfare of the animals, so taking care of them is also one of the main tasks of the volunteers. The daily work involves cleaning the cages and enclosures as well as feeding the animals. Handicrafts are needed to maintain, mend, enlarge, or build new cages, if required.

The volunteers in Ecuador always have great interest in wildlife observation. On your own initiative, for a few days you can observe and assess the behavior of your "favorite animal", then build or craft a suitable toy and observe how it behaves towards the toy and whether it is being used. These occupational therapies are very important for animals like monkeys, they like to play and kept busy to cheer up their live in captivity. The volunteers always enjoy this task very much and it is an absolute joy, how the animals enjoy playing and exploring. These tasks are not directly part of the project and have to be carried out by proactive volunteers.

As a volunteer in this project, you should be an animal lover and have a strong desire to work with and understand animals. You are responsible for the welfare and daily care of the animals. This does not mean that the animals only need to be fed. It also means cleaning and maintaining the enclosures. The center is always striving to improve the living conditions of the animals and to provide them with a pleasant habitat despite their captivity.

Working hours are normally Monday to Friday, from 8:00 to 12:00 and from 14:30 to 17:00 (only indicative! Working hours may be subject to change). On Saturdays the volunteer house is cleaned in shifts and the animals have to be fed again. Afterwards, you'll have the weekend off to explore the beautiful area, meet other volunteers, go hiking or take a weekend getaway to nearby attractions.

During your stay you will collect truly unique and unforgettable experiences with the animals. So far you may only know most of the animals from the zoo or animal reports. Here you work directly with them and ensure their survival. The volunteer work in Ecuador will surely be an unforgettable and life-changing experience for you!

​Note: The tasks may vary. They depend on factors such as number of volunteers, weather, season, current needs of the project, as well as self-motivation. Not every volunteer may be fully involved in all these tasks.

In your free time, you can go hiking, swimming, and do many other sports.  The region is also very interesting for touristic and cultural day trips as well as outdoor adventures in the jungle or Andes mountains.