Wildlife Rescue - Family Volunteering
Costa Rica

This is an ideal family trip for animal lovers who would like to help a wildlife rescue sanctuary whilst enjoying the amazing nature that Costa Rica has to offer!

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. 

Typical day 

When you arrive at the project you can settle in to your exciting new surroundings in the heart of the rainforest and relax by the pool!

The next day you will receive a full tour of the wildlife sanctuary in the morning. This will include meeting the local team you will be joining and a fun introduction to the animals and how your family will be helping to care for them! In the afternoon, you will be guided through your first volunteering tasks. 

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 (with a maximum of 20), numbers vary throughout the year. Volunteers work alongside interns and animal keepers. Most volunteers will be over 18 and participating in the 18 + volunteer programme.

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

You will be staying with your family in the cottages which are located a 5 minute walk from the sanctuary. The cottages have fantastic views into the surrounding rainforest with mountain ranges looming in the distance. You will wake up to the sounds of the tropical birds and often hear the calls of wild monkeys! 

The cottages have an ensuite bathroom, air conditioning and a balcony area. There are communal areas where your family can relax with WIFI access and a dining area. 

There is a swimming pool on site which all volunteers are welcome to use, or you can relax on one of the sun loungers!

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 for dinner. On your days off, there are lots of activities and days out your family can enjoy, or you can just chill out and 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. 

Mary 

“My 12-year-old daughter and I went on this trip together. It was an unbelievable week for us. Our cottage was really nice and had lots of room and everything we needed. The grounds were gorgeous with a beautiful view of the mountains and a really nice swimming pool to hang out in the afternoons after work. 

We loved the staff at the Wildlife Rescue project- they are so dedicated to helping the wildlife and the rain forests. We learned so much about feeding the animals and enriching their environments for the ones who can't be released and are staying at the sanctuary. It was a great bonding time for mother-daughter and a wonderful learning experience.”

Celia

"We are having a great time. The work has been physical today but very rewarding. The kids are loving preparing the food and then feeding the animals (particularly the sloths). We scrubbed and tidied a monkey's enclosure, which was exhausting! Swam in the Pacific this afternoon too. The accommodation is so peaceful and the other volunteers / workers have been very kind. The food is great too. All very happy. Our day off is tomorrow and we will head to Manuel Antonio National Park."

Amanda 

“This was the most fulfilling time I have ever had. We became part of the place immediately and were welcomed and treated as one of the family. Our work was strenuous and amazing at the same time. 

The sense of being a part of something so important as a family bonded us even more than I expected and we hold this shared experience forever. We cannot wait for the next time and will definitely return to Costa Rica or another of your volunteer projects.”

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.

The Pod team were very helpful and they booked my trip quickly at very short notice. 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.”

Kate 

“We spent a week at the Wildlife Rescue project in Costa Rica. The people were super friendly and the accommodation and food was great. The animals are so well cared for and it was fantastic to be part of such a valuable project. 

We prepared the food for the animals, gave it to them, cleared out and cleaned cages (every cage gets cleaned once a week which is fantastic!), filled the cages with new foliage that we foraged for in the grounds. Then we had to come up with ideas for enrichments for the animals - i.e. ways to keep them entertained, toys for them to play with containing food that created a challenge to keep the occupied.”

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