• Cleaning the cages and enclosures
• Feeding the animals
• Constructing and maintaining of cages
• Observing and creating enrichment projects

The Animal Rescue Center currently cares for about 65 animals, which include about monkeys such as squirrel monkeys, woolly monkey, titi and capuchin monkeys. They have peccaries, carnivores such as coati, tayra kinkajou and other felines, tortoises, snakes, turkeys and many species of parrots and macaws.

An average week for a volunteer involves cleaning cages and feeding the animals on a daily basis and if needed constructing and maintaining cages and enclosures. There are also observation and enrichment projects where you are encouraged to spend a couple of days observing the behavior of your chosen animal. You can then build a toy or game for the animal in order to observe how it is used and how it benefits the animal. This work is invaluable to the animals to relieve the boredom of their captivity and is a contribution that volunteers really enjoy. These enrichment projects have to be developped proactively by the volunteers with a big portion of one's own initiative.

You as a volunteer should have the desire to work in the nature and understand the animals' situation. You are responsible for the welfare and day-to-day care involving not only the daily feeding and cleaning duties but also construction and maintenance work to improve their living conditions. If you have experience in any area of conservation or have veterinary experience, the center would really encourage you to spend time here. The Rescue Center will try to accommodate any interests that you have.

All the people who like to spend time helping the Animal Rescue Center taking care of the animals are a very important part of the employed manpower. Any ideas are welcome and many have been implemented in the past. The more time and effort you are willing to put into this project, the more will get out in return!

Usually, you will work Monday to Friday 8 am to 12:30 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm. On Saturdays, a couple of hours to clean the volunteer house and feed the animals is required, then you are free for the weekend to explore the country around you. Please keep in mind that the work schedule may vary depending on the number of volunteers in the project, climate and special situations. Volunteers should be flexible and lend a hand where needed. Days off or free time should be discussed all together keeping in mind not only the personal interests but also those of the project, other volunteers and the supervisors.

During your stay you will gain unique experience working with animals that need your help, dedication and love, while spending your days in a friendly and cozy environment in the beautiful Ecuador. But it's not all work! The volunteers will find friendship, companionship, time to rest, laugh and share unforgettable moments.

• Wooden bungalows
• Dorm style rooms
• 3 meals / day
• Hot showers
• Kitchen and lounge
• Chill out area with hammocks

The volunteer accommodations are in wooden bungalows where dorm style rooms are provided. The houses have hot showers which is a real luxury after a hard day's work. Separate from the dorms is a kitchen and a lounge. The kitchen is fully stocked and has a gas oven and filtered drinking water on tap. The lounge has sofas to chill out on and a TV and DVD player with an extensive DVD collection. A book exchange is available as well. Outside, a thatched area gives volunteers the opportunity to spend the evenings in hammocks relaxing.

Volunteers take turns to wash up, clean the house, etc. In the evenings the volunteers cook and eat together and share the events of the day. Vegetarians join the project regularly and can adapt to different people's preferences. All the volunteers get together to make a food list (basic things) for the week to accommodate everyone's various tastes. For specific things such as beverages and snacks, volunteers will need to buy them on their own. But keep in mind that you live directly in the Amazon jungle, so no luxury can be expected!

The ability to communicate in English is essential for the project as it is the primary language used by all volunteers. However, the local staff only speaks Spanish, so at least basic Spanish skills are very usefull as well.

The Center only has electricity that is provided by a generator that works on gas. Hence 24/7 hours electricity can't be guaranteed. There is no Internet access at the center or volunteer house. Volunteers use Internet Cafes in the surrounding towns and/or usually use the days off to travel to Puyo.

The Center is based in the Ecuadorian rainforest within the indigenous community Colonia Bolivar, 22 miles outside the town of Puyo. It provides breathtaking panoramas of the Amazon jungle. Puyo is located in the province of Pastaza, in the east of the country. It is a small colonial town with a population around 30.000 and has the infrastructure to receive people who want to admire all the beauty surrounding this place. This is one of the most commercial towns in the Amazon region of Ecuador. The local village of El Triunfo is located 15 minutes by bus and has very basic shops with a couple of bars. For restaurants, supermarkets, and internet, the volunteers will need to travel to Puyo instead. Some people in the local community also have little shops in their houses for specific needs or cravings.

The project takes place in sanctuaries for wild animals that have been victims of animal trafficking. They were in illegal and often perilous conditions. The Center rescues those animals, rehabilitates and in the best case releases them to their natural habitats. Volunteers work directly in the local environment and your support means an important contribution of manpower. You will experience nature and its animals very closely and you will contribute to their protection and conservation. The projects cooperate with local indigenous Indian communities of the Amazon.

Although the Animal Rescue Center is within the Amazon rainforest, you will not feel suffocated by heat. The temperatures are temperate and in the night it is even a little cool.

From Quito, it takes you about 6 to 7 hours by bus to get to the Center situated in the Amazon Rainforest.

A little bit of background information: The work of the Animal Rescue Center may appear insignificant; however, the efforts they do are very important. The Amazon jungle in Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil, and other fragile ecosystems in Central America, Mexico, Argentina, and Paraguay, have become the main sources of wild species trafficking. Reptiles, panthers, parrots, boa and python snakes, monkeys, birds, and butterflies are all among the wild fauna that is in danger of extinction by human abuse. Although legal trade in wildlife is regulated in many countries, an estimated one-third of 25 billion dollars in yearly global sales of animals is illegal - an illicit business surpassed only by arms and drugs trafficking. Annually, over 50 million wild animals are captured in the Amazon region. An alarming 90% of these poor animals die in the process of being caught or during transportation to their destination country, mainly Europe or the US. The situation of these poor and defenseless creatures is absolutely shocking!

The Amazon jungle is the world's largest rain forest, with the greatest flora and fauna diversity on Earth. Experts say that animal trafficking is destroying the life in the Amazon at a time when the rain forest is already facing an increasing threat of deforestation for controversial plans for new roads, gas pipelines and other development projects.

Source: Google Maps

Registration fee 100 USD. One week = 7 days.

• Accommodation
• 3 meals / day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Orientation kit
• Local support
• 24h-Emergency Number
• Volunteer Work Placement
• Certificate of participation

• Flight
• Medical Insurance
• Visa (if necesary)
• Local Travels