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Alajuela Wildlife Rescue Center

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Price Costa Rica 2 weeks+
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Alajuela Wildlife Rescue Center

Costa Rica

The Rescue Center is dedicated to the treatment and protection of exotic animals indigenous to the tropical paradise that is Costa Rica. Volunteers work alongside an experienced wildlife vet at our on-site hospital to rescue, rehabilitate and release these animals back to their natural habitat whenever possible. This program was designed to provide hands-on wildlife experience in a veterinary setting, a unique way to explore this Caribbean nation, and an opportunity to make lifelong friendships with other volunteers from around the world.

Cost

2-week session: $900 USD

Additional weeks: $450 USD/week

2 weeks+
16+ Age
Animal Lovers
Costa Rica
Pre-Vet Students
Vet Students
Vet Techs/Nurses
Vets
Volunteer
Wildlife
  • Destination
    Alajuela, Costa Rica
  • Departure
    Every Sunday
  • Departure Time
    Wildlife
  • Return Time
    Animal Lovers | Pre-Vet Students | Vet Students | Vet Techs & Nurses | Vets
  • Dress Code
    Training is provided for all activities. The program fee helps to support the non-profit clinic as well as volunteer activities, transportation and accommodation. Limited to 4 volunteers per session. On-Site free-time activities are included but off-site trips have an additional fee.
  • Included
    Accommodation
    Airport Transfers
    Free-time Activities
    Laundry Facilities
    Meals
    On-Site Support
    Pre-Departure Support
    Wi-fi
  • Not Included
    Flights
    Travel Insurance
    Visa Fees (if applicable)

From Our Gallery

Experience Costa Rica like never before!

This unique opportunity allows volunteers extensive experience working directly with tropical wildlife in a veterinary setting.

Wildlife Vet Experience in Costa Rica Animal Hospital - Global Vet Experience
Wildlife Vet Experience in Costa Rica Baby Monkey - Global Vet Experience
Wildlife Vet Experience in Costa Rica Sloths - Global Vet Experience
1
7:30 AM:
Breakfast
2
8:30 AM:
Morning volunteer meeting with coordinators
3
9:00 AM:
Animal food prep & feeding
4
9:30 AM:
Enclosure cleaning & animal enrichment
5
10:00 AM:
Medication, check ups and procedures.
6
11:00 AM:
Free time (pool, hammocks, yoga)
7
12:00 PM
Lunch
8
1:30 PM:
Afternoon volunteer meeting with coordinators
9
2:00 PM:
Animal food prep & feeding
10
2:30 PM:
Enclosure cleaning & animal enrichment
11
3:00 PM:
Medication, check ups and procedures
12
4:00 PM:
Collect & deliver leaves to all animals
13
5:00 PM:
Free time (pool, hammocks, yoga)
14
6:00 PM:
Dinner
15
7:00 PM:
Night activities (bonfire, night walks, movies, trivia, Spanish class)
*Newborns require feeding every few hours and nocturnal animals only eat at night, so there is often a rotating nightshift schedule with feedings at 8pm, 12am and 4am.
**This itinerary is an example of a typical day. Volunteers work 6 days per week with 1 day off per week for free-time activities and trips. Weekly activities are planned according to the needs of the community- schedules are released at the start of each week and are updated daily to account for new opportunities, vet emergencies, and weather.

Tour Location

Volunteers stay on-site at the Rescue Center with non-vet volunteers. There are 5 bedrooms (6 bunk beds per room), 5 showers & 7 toilets. Amenities include wifi, laundry service, outdoor pool and lounging areas. Staff stay on-site and are available 24/7 to ensure volunteer safety. Volunteers can also upgrade to a private tiki hut for an additional $175 USD per week. All meals are included in the program fee.

  Wildlife Vet Experience in Costa Rica Accommodations - Global Vet Experience 

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Vet/Animal Activities:

  • Food Prep
  • Routine Feeding and Cleaning (twice daily)
  • Daily Treatments
  • Regular Monitoring (Vitals, Weight, Feed Intake, etc)
  • Late Night Feedings (as needed)
  • Diagnostics (blood tests, skin samples, etc.)
  • Discuss & design plans for release and prepare eligible animals
  • Enrichment & Training*
  • Assist in veterinary procedures (x-rays, sedated exams, surgeries, necropsies, etc.)
*For the welfare and safety of the animals and staff, some animals are trained to present body parts, accept injections, etc.
Animal Experience: 30-50 hrs/week
Vet Experience:  25-35 hrs/week
Clinical Experience: 10-20 hrs/week
Surgical Experience: N/A

Free-Time Activities:

Daily Free Activities Include:

  • Lounging by the Outdoor Pool & Hammocks
  • River Walks
  • Board Games
  • Yoga (on request)

Nightly free time activities include:

  • Bonfires,
  • Vet-Guided Night Walks
  • Spanish Classes
  • Sun Downers
  • Movies
  • Trivia
  • Board Games
  • Visiting San Jose for souvenirs, restaurants, bars, etc.

Off-site trips (for an additional fee) include:

  • Jaco Beach
  • Manuel Antonio National Park
  • Monteverde Cloud Forest
  • Arenal Volcano
Wildlife Vet Experience in Costa Rica Accommodations - Global Vet Experience    Wildlife Vet Experience in Costa Rica - Global Vet Experience