Volunteer are needed to work at the wild animal rescue center. You will take care of animals with feedings, cleanings, repair and cage maintenance and updates.
Programs Abroad
ECUADOR - Animal welfare and Eco-Tourism 
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Booking Nº: EC113 Country: Ecuador + Location: Amazon Region, Area of Tena Minimum Stay: 8 weeks Start dates: All year round Price: from 8 weeks, 480 USD |
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Task
- Taking care of animals
- Feeding animals
- Cleaning animals' cages / enclosures
- Guiding visitors through the center
One important part of the volunteer's work is to guide visitors through the center which is financed by entrance fees and donations. Therefore, motivated people who like to guide visitors while enthusiastically and interestingly telling about the center and its animals are required. Of course you will first get a basic course where you will learn everything about the center and the animals. You should however have the talent to handle tourists from all over the world and be patient to answer whatever question they might have about the facilities and animals.
Another main task includes feeding and taking care of the animals. Not all the animals live freely and can find food by themselves. Many of the animals have to stay in enclosures. They have to be fed and someone has to make sure that their enclosures are kept clean and nice. New arriving animals have to be examined and observed very well.
Apart from the main work with the animals, other tasks like fixing trails, cutting down branches for enrichment in the enclosures, and harvesting bananas have to be fulfilled as well. Volunteers must give a hand where they are most needed, and when possible, get to work in the area they are most interested in. As a volunteer, you will work for five days a week, from 7 am until approximately 6 pm. Days off (every volunteer gets two a week) are arranged at the beginning of the week to ensure that enough volunteers are working every day. In the morning volunteers begin the day preparing the food and feeding of the animals. Visitors usually arrive between 8.30 am and 5 pm to participate at the guided tours through the center's area. In the afternoon, the second feeding starts at 1 pm.
Accommodation
- Accommodation in volunteer house
- Up to 14 volunteers in two different houses
- 2-bed bedrooms
- 3 meals per day
The volunteers live together in two different volunteer houses that are connected by a little bridge. There is enough space for up to 14 volunteers who visit the center from all over the world. Bedrooms are equipped with 2 beds, so you might share the room with another volunteer. It is really important that you are willing to share the chores (e.g. cooking, cleaning etc.) in the volunteers' house in order to avoid disagreements with other volunteers. Living together is, on one hand, a challenge, but on the other hand, a great and unforgettable experience. You will get in touch with people from all over the world, other cultures and points of view, that will make your stay culturally enriching and a unique experience.
Please note that there is no electricity or telephone and light is given by candles. If you want to call someone by phone, you have to walk to the nearest town, or you need a mobile phone adapted to be used or bought when you arrive in Ecuador.
Running water, a shower and a toilet are provided in each house. Clothes have to be washed by hand and detergent is provided.
During the week days, two local women prepare lunch for all volunteers. Volunteers are in charge of preparing their own breakfast and dinner every day, which is always a group effort. On the weekend, volunteers prepare their own lunch as well.
Meals are cooked in each volunteer house except lunch, which will be enjoyed all together. Food is provided by a truck that comes once a week and brings food that was ordered the week before. If needed, you may buy drinks (Cola, Beer) from the bar. The water is drinkable, and there are always lemons or other fruits if you want to make juice.
Requirements
Language:English and/or Spanish skills required (you can book your Spanish course in Ecuador with us!)
Skills:
No professional skills or experiences required.
Age:
22+ years
Vaccination:
Not required. Please consult us and your doctor for specific recommendations.
Insurance:
Full travel and medical insurance is required. You can purchase a full coverage, no deductible health and travel insurance at a special rate for our participants by contacting your South America Inside representative.
Visa:
Tourist visa valid for 90 days. For further information regarding visa requirements please contact us and the corresponding embassy or consulate in your home country.
Details
In 1993, the project was founded by a Swiss couple. They really did an amazing effort building up the center and nowadays is belongs to one of the most efficent and best run Animal Rescue Centers throughout Ecuador. The center runs different kind of projects, one being a lodge to receive eco-tourists, another being the animal rehabilitation center in the biological reserve to protect and conserve local rain forest, and last a small hotel in the middle of the local Quichua community.The animal rehabilitation center is located in the protected rain forest and shelters a number of different animals, some in danger of extinction. Most of these poor animals arrive in bad condition: malnourished, wounded due to constraints, and very often full of parasites. Approximately one fourth of the animals die on their way to the rescue center or in the first days of living here. Only one in four can successfully be set free. The remaining half must remain at the center either living free in the area, or in enclosures to protect them from other animals and humans. In an ideal world, every animal that arrives at the rehabilitation center would be returned to the wild at some point. Although releasing animals appeals to the human ideals of freedom and wilderness, it may sometimes be harmful for the individual animal, the species, or even the ecosystem as a whole.
There are a number of reasons why returning an animal to its natural habitat is a difficult decision. When releasing an animal, it obviously has to be released somewhere. The change from captivity to the wild is stressful and disorienting leaving animals especially vulnerable to hunting if they are released in an unprotected area. It is pointless to spend a lot of effort preparing an animal for release only for it to be recaptured immediately. The rehabilitation center lies at the edge of 7 miles of protected primary rainforest in which hunting is prohibited. This is the area used for releasing animals that are ready for reintroduction. Unfortunately this center is effectively an island surrounded by unprotected areas which leads to problems for the released wildlife.
Source: Google Maps
Prices
| Duration | in USD |
|---|---|
| 8 weeks |
480.- |
| Each additional week |
60.- |
One time registration fee 100 USD. One week counts 7 dyas.
What’s included:
- Accommodation
- 3 meals / day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Orientation kit
- Local support
- 24h-Emergency Number
- Volunteer Work Placement
- Certificate of participation
What’s not included:
- Flight
- Airport pick-up
- Medical Insurance
- Visa (if necesary)
- Local Travels
Country
Country Information Ecuador |
 Ecuador, appropriately named after the equator, holds a massive imaginary line running directly through its middle. Ecuador is one of the smallest countries in South America with an area of only 100,000 square miles. Ecuador borders Peru in the southeast, Colombia in the northeast and the Pacific Ocean splashing along the entire west side. The population of Ecuador is 14 million with the capital city of Quito holding 2 million residents.
Though Ecuador lacks bragging rights in its size, the country surely stands proud of its breathtaking landscapes, lush vegetation zones and varieties of climate. The climate, mainly determined by altitude, changes from tropical sun and heavy rain in the Pacific coastal area, to temperate dry climate regions in the Andean highlands. Further, the Amazon basin on the eastern side of the mountains shares the climate of other rain forest zones. Ecuador is one of eighteen mega diverse countries in the world with thousands of different animal and bird species. The famous Galapagos Islands, a very special spot on earth, is located about 620 miles away from the mainland and is home to unique flora and fauna such as the giant tortoises. The islands are also historic for being the birthplace of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. When exploring deeper into the 100,000 square mile piece of land, you will find diverse attractions for tourists and volunteers alike. Some highly recommended areas of exploration are the Amazon jungles, the Amazon basin, Andean Mountains, volcanoes (active and dormant), tropical forests and a variety of beautiful beaches. The Pacific coast is a perfect place for ocean diving, relaxing on the beach and enjoying hours in the sun. For those backcountry lovers and nature fans, rest assured the terrain of Ecuador offers much in both silent and adrenaline driven activities. Due to Ecuador’s geographical diversity of ocean, mountains and island chains, whenever you choose to travel, one section of country will be in peak season. June through September are typically the drier months. The general high peak season for festivals, fiestas and crowds lie between mid-December through January and then again from June through August. When traveling to Ecuador you will be absolutely amazed by the unique and natural beauty of this country. Keeping in mind that this country is one of poorest regions in South America, you will be surprised by their friendliness, efforts to help you and elements of preserved culture. UNESCO declared Quito, the capital city, a World Heritage Site in the 1970’s for having the best preserved and least altered historic center in Latin America! No doubt, you will feel comfortable and at ease while enjoying this open-minded and hospitable society.
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