Wildlife Rescue
Costa Rica

The sanctuary provides a safe haven for over 30 animals including sloths, monkeys (spider monkeys, capuchins and a marmoset), peccary pigs, goats, parrots, a raccoon, coati and kinkajous. 

These animals have been badly injured, orphaned or are confiscated illegal pets, and they are unable to live in the wild. They are provided with a safe home at the sanctuary where you will help.  

At the sanctuary you will assist in a variety of tasks helping the animals, including:

• Preparing food and medications
• Providing food and water for the animals
• Creating fun enrichments for the animals and collecting food and vegetation from the surrounding forest
• Cleaning and maintaining the enclosures
• Maintenance work and cleaning around the sanctuary – there is always lots to be done and leaves to be swept!

Direct contact with the animals is not allowed in order to give them as much natural life as possible and protect the safety of both volunteers and animals. 

The team also regularly rescues new animals which are treated in the on-site vet clinic and then returned to the wild as quickly as possible. Human interaction is minimised to help them rehabilitate safely back to the wild so only the vet team look after these animals. 

Volunteers may occasionally get involved in conservation outreach work which includes planting trees, turtle conservation, education projects and monkey bridges. Monkey bridges are made to help monkeys cross busy roads and avoid electrocution on electricity wires. 

Typical day 

During your first few days you will have a tour of the centre and meet the local team who you will be working alongside. During your sanctuary tour you will be introduced to the animals that live at the sanctuary and learn more about why they have been rescued and the care they require. 

You will volunteer for 5 days per week from 7am to 4pm, with breaks through the day including for breakfast and lunch. You will have 2 days off per week - all volunteers have Mondays off and you will be allocated one other day off, which varies depending on the volunteer rota. There are lots of free time activities locally including the nearby national parks and beaches, boat trips and zip lining!

Other volunteers

There are usually 5-6 volunteers and interns at the project (with a maximum of 20), numbers vary throughout the year. 

Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) award

This placement has been approved by the DofE as meeting the requirements for the Residential section of the Gold Award.

Local support

You will be working alongside the local team which is made up of local and international staff including biologists, veterinary staff and animal keepers.

“Without the help of passionate volunteers interested in protecting Costa Rica’s wildlife we cannot function to our fullest - there are simply not enough hours in the day to care for our precious animals. Hardworking volunteers are what keep our operation running smoothly and efficiently.” Victoria, Volunteer Coordinator

Volunteers live on site, just a 5 minute walk from the sanctuary and next to the tropical forest. There are two accommodation options, the volunteer house and private cottages. 

The volunteer house has shared single sex dorm rooms, shared bathrooms, ceiling fans and WIFI. There is a balcony overlooking the surrounding forest (a great place for bird watching!). 

There is a communal area where you can relax with dining area, WIFI and TV. There is a swimming pool on site which all volunteers can use. 

Room upgrade

There is an option to upgrade to a private cottage onsite (for an additional fee), which are private rooms with air-conditioning, ensuite bathrooms, balcony with seating and WIFI. This is an ideal option for couples and solo travellers who prefer to have their own space.  

Meals

All main meals are included and will be provided throughout your placement.

Here are typical examples of the food you will have: 

• Breakfast - bread, toast, pancakes cereals, spreads, scrambled egg, fruit 
• Lunch and dinner - rice, beans, meat, pasta, stews, omelette, fried plantain, burritos, vegetables and salads

Vegetarian and vegan options can be provided.

There is filtered drinking water available in the kitchen. 

You will need to fly into San Jose (SJO). We can arrange for you to be met on arrival and have a private transfer to the project, which takes about 3 hours.

Location and free time

The project is located in a rural location in the heart of the tropical forest in the region of Quepos, about 30 minutes from the popular destination of Manuel Antonio National Park which is famous for its stunning beaches and abundance of wildlife. The local area is sparsely populated and provides a tranquil environment to live in. It’s great to experience living in the rainforest hearing and seeing the sounds and sights that come with it!

Volunteers have evenings free and normally relax at the centre or sometimes arrange a trip into the local town to enjoy the bars and restaurants. Volunteers have one day off per week and there are lots of activities to get involved in, or you could spend your free time by the pool!

There is so much to do in the area, including snorkelling, catamaran trips, whale watching (seasonal), canopy tours / zip-lining, horse riding, surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking and much more! These activities are best booked locally once you are in Costa Rica.

Climate 

The Puntarenas Province has a tropical climate meaning that it’s generally hot and humid all year round with average temperatures ranging between 25-28˚C. But due to the humidity (approximately 80-100%) it can feel much warmer! 

There can be tropical rain showers at any time of year but the main rainy season is from August to October. Temperatures continually rise during the dry season of December to April, reaching their peak in April. The remainder of the year is categorised as the ‘shoulder’ season, where you can expect warm temperatures and some rainfall.

Travelling in Costa Rica before or after your placement

Popular activities in Costa Rica that you might like to combine with your project are:

• Visit the spectacular Arenal Volcano and relax in a hot spring
• See incredible biodiversity and birdlife in Monteverde Cloud Forest
• Explore Tortuguero National Park and see the abundance of bird and wildlife
• Relax on one of Costa Rica’s stunning beaches on either the Pacific or Caribbean coastline

For more information on Costa Rica and some of the things we loved when we visited there please see our Costa Rica country page. 

Jan 

“I am really enjoying this placement.  The founder is super friendly and the two zoo keepers (Kaylor and Janka) have been so helpful, positive and just generally fun that I have had a great experience.”

Beatriz

"Everything is great! I'm in love with Costa Rica and very happy with the program."

Claire 

“Volunteering at the Wildlife Rescue project in Costa Rica is a fantastic experience. You will work with a great team of people who share your passion for wildlife and nature. 

The work is quite physically demanding, especially in the hot climate but it is so rewarding. I have so many wonderful memories of my time in Costa Rica that I will treasure forever. I very much enjoyed my experience working on this project. It was lovely to see how well the animals are cared for by the hard working and dedicated local team, interns and volunteers.”

Charlie 

“My experience was fantastic. I was at the project for 4 weeks and it was life changing for me. The people there are really friendly and welcoming, I have made friends that I hope to stay in contact with for a long time. The best part obviously was the animals, we were taking care of the permanent residents of the sanctuary such as the parrots, sloths, monkeys and kinkajous. 

We spent most days feeding, cleaning and maintaining enclosures, as well as doing maintenance around the sanctuary and coming up with enrichment ideas. The work was fairly physically demanding, however it was rewarding knowing that you were making a difference to the lives of the animals.”

Sara 

“Everyone was very helpful at every step of the volunteering placement process. From the day I arrived, I knew I wouldn't want to leave! The staff, interns, and other volunteers were all very nice and welcoming. Working at the sanctuary was very rewarding and helped me learn a lot about wildlife rescue and the native animals of Costa Rica. 

The location was beautiful; it was a great place to house the sanctuary animals as well as the wild animals in the area. This experience helped me confirm my career path and inspired me to pursue wildlife veterinary medicine. I enjoyed every day at the sanctuary and I found it very difficult to leave.”

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