Nonprofit
Published 10/21/25 7:59PM

Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue Center

On-site, Volunteer must be in or near Alajuela, San Jose, Costa Rica
I Want to Help


  • Details

    Available Times:
    Weekdays (daytime, evenings), Weekends (daytime, evenings)
    Commitment Details:
    You can expect to work 5 days a week, around 8 hours every day. Work will start early, with feeding the animals and cleaning the cages. There are multiple teams with different types of schedules. Examples can be found in shifts.
    Recurrence:
    Recurring
    Volunteers Needed:
    25
    Cause Areas:
    Animals, Environment & Sustainability, International Relations
    Good For:
    Kids, Teens, Public Groups, Age 55+
    Age Requirement:
    18+

    Description

    Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue Center

    Introduction

    Would you like to work in a wildlife sanctuary? And do you have a passion for wild animals and exotic nature? Then this project is perfect for you!

    Highlights

    • Help with animal care, feeding, cleaning, rehabilitation, rescue and release of animals.
    • Educate tourists and local people about rehabilitation and release during the tours multiple times a day!
    • Improve the sanctuary by showing initiative and being creative.
    • Visit San Jose or go hiking to nearby waterfalls or beaches.
    • Get hands-on experience in the field of animal rescue and find out if it is for you!

    Green Life Volunteers currently works with a sanctuary located in Alajuela (Central Valley) near San Jose.

    As a volunteer on the wildlife rescue center you will help with the animal care, feeding, cleaning, rehabilitation, rescue, and release of animals. The mission of the wildlife sanctuaries in Costa Rica is to give the animals time to heal from their injuries and when they are ready, they will be released back into the wild. Some of the animals will be in the sanctuary for their entire life because they would not survive or they are too domestic.

    The wildlife sanctuary wants to provide a quality of life to the resident animals. The animals that are generally in sanctuaries in Costa Rica are sloths, raccoons, squirrels, macaws, parrots, anteaters, bird raptors, monkeys, toucans, and many more. Usually, the wildlife sanctuaries receive their donations from the entry fees of visitors.

    Wildlife Sanctuary Alajuela: The wildlife sanctuary in Alajuela has been moved from its original location in Limon. They have many different animals and believe firmly in rehabilitation and releasing animals. The sanctuary offers volunteer housing right on the property - shared mixed dormitory-type accommodation. Meals are prepared and cooked for volunteers.

    Volunteers responsibilities include:

    • Preparing specific food mixtures for the animals
    • Providing food, water and other nutrients to the animals
    • Assist in the general maintenance and cleaning the enclosures, etc.
    • Various maintenance work for the facility in general
    • Giving tours to the visitors
    • Becoming an animal handler

    Green life volunteers' position

    Green Life Volunteers expects volunteers and interns to respect the areas in which you are working as well as your project leaders, members of the community, and other volunteers/ interns. In case you are experiencing troubles or conflicts, we'd rather know sooner than later if there is anything that is not working for you and we want to make you as comfortable as possible. Having said that, we cannot stress enough that flexibility and being positive and open-minded will go a long way in ensuring an enjoyable volunteer or intern experience.

    Green Life Volunteers is available if you have any issues or need any help during your project. We are located in Puerto Jimenez on the Osa Peninsula. However, you can always call or email us. We take good customer service very seriously, and we want you to feel comfortable from the beginning till the end of your time in Costa Rica. We will provide you with a 24-hour emergency number that you can call from your project site in case you need to speak to a Green Life Volunteers staff. Our staff will check in on you throughout your stay. We will make sure no miscommunication errors are happening and we are there to explain and solve problems.

    We will also help you during your sign-up process to arrange your transport and arrival in San Jose! We will help you arrange airport shuttle pick-ups to the project location, or book a hostel for the first night, if preferred.

    3 shifts available:

    • Example 1.: 06:00 to 14:00 CST
    • Example 2. With a break between 11 and 2 pm.: 07:00 to 18:00 CST
    • Example 3.: 14:00 to 22:00 CST

    Location

    On-site

    Alajuela Wildlife Rescue Center

    Alajuela Province, Alajuela, Costa Rica

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