You have a Heart for animals andnd are particularly fascinated by the Wild animals of the jungle? You want to find rare and Endangered species and support an exciting project? The rescue center in the impressive Petén, Guatemala, needs your help! Here you support in the daily Care, feeding and rehabilitation of the wild animals, get involved in the maintenance and expansion of the park and, if interested, offer guided tours for tourists. In addition, the rescue center regularly implements projects to protect the environment and the community. Your help is needed! Learn all about the work of a Rescue center and become part of a great community of volunteers from all over the world.
The Wildlife sanctuary was founded back in 1989 with the mission of countering the rapid decline of species in Guatemala. While there were still many tapirs and jaguars in the forests a few years ago, they are hardly to be seen today. The giant anteater and the harpy eagle have not been sighted in recent years and are considered extinct in the region. The animals that do arrive at the center are mostly animals that have been confiscated by government authorities for illegal wildlife trade were confiscated. They are also mostly very young. These include parrots, macaws, spider and howler monkeys, owls, falcons, crocodiles, tortoises, mycobirds and many more.
The rescue center houses various shelters and cages for its wild inhabitants, which are designed to meet the special needs of the animals. There is also a separate Veterinary clinic with veterinarians. The focus of the rescue center is on the welfare, rehabilitation and reintegration of the wild animals living there into their natural habitat. For the Well-being It is very important for the animals that they do not have much close contact with humans and do not become habituated to humans. Endangered or injured jungle animals are taken in, cared for, treated and fed by the project and remain at the rescue center until they are ready to return to the wild. You can provide active support in all these areas. Each of the employees adapts their own daily routine to that of the fascinating animals.
The project includes many exotic animals such as jaguars, monkeys, coatis and numerous birds. The team also breeds the majestic macaws, the large colorful parrots. They raise the parrots until they can survive on their own in the wild. Their aim is to increase the population of the wild Maya macaw in the long term.
In addition to caring for the animals, there are many other activities that the rescue center organizes and in which volunteers can get involved. The Terrain is maintained around the clock and new cages are built. The storage of all the food for the feedings also has to be organized.
In addition, the rescue center offers guided tours and educational exhibitions on the project site, organizes Environmental protection activities and projects for the community.
As a volunteer, your working hours are approximately from 06:30 to 15:30, with breaks in between for breakfast and lunch. You usually work from Monday to Saturday, with Sunday off. In consultation with the project, you can also get 2-3 days off.
The majority of your work in the project consists of Enclosure of the animals in the rescue center and to clean the Feeding animals. Of course, your personal safety is the top priority here. In special cases, volunteers help in quarantine, hospital and rehabilitation cages. For long-term volunteers or those with advanced knowledge of animal care, there may be opportunities to feed young birds such as parrots, woodpeckers, toucans and many other species.
The rescue center is equipped with a fully functional Veterinary clinic where the animals admitted receive immediate examinations, attention, special diets and treatments. Here you can get a taste of the everyday life of a wildlife vet. Depending on your experience, wishes and skills, you may also be asked to help with veterinary treatments and operations as well as the regular blood tests that need to be carried out to monitor the animals' health.
In addition to the daily feeding and care of the animals, the organization offers special activities in which volunteers can participate. These Activities include, for example, building cages or additional buildings, collecting wild food for the animals, giving guided tours and exhibitions, participating in environmental activities and community projects, and building toys and perches for the cages.
Even your own Creativity is in demand! Time and again, the volunteers develop their own projects. For example, volunteers take on studies on the behaviour of the animals at the center and organize educational activities in neighbouring schools. Get involved and put your ideas into action to enrich the rescue center. The local animals and people will thank you for it.
Petén is located on the edge of the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR) in the northern Petén region of Guatemala and is part of the Mesoamerican Maya Forest. This is the second largest remaining tropical rainforest in the Americas - simply stunning.
The rescue center is located in the middle of the vast jungle in a nature reserve directly on the breathtaking Lake Petén Itzá. There are numerous smaller lakes and historical Mayan ruins in the surrounding area. For example, the former Mayan city of Tikal. There you can experience the huge temples and the exciting history of the Mayas up close.
The towns of Flores and Santa Elena are located in the heart of Petén. The beautiful, quiet town of Flores is only 2 km from the rescue center and is located on an island on the large Petén Itzá lake and is only connected to Santa Elena and the mainland by a bridge. You can get sporty there and hire a kayak or mountain bike or explore the lake on a boat tour. In your free time, you can go on excursions to the fascinating Mayan ruins or simply relax in nature.
You do not need any special qualifications for this program. Of course, you should have a desire to work with wild animals and be motivated to make a lasting improvement to their lives. You will work a lot with locals and other volunteers. You should be open-minded and have the motivation to get to know a new culture and everything that goes with it. Working on this project will playfully improve your Spanish skills and have a positive impact on your life. A wonderful experience that you will remember for a long time to come.
The national language in Guatemala is Spanish. You will spend a lot of time with locals who do not speak English. A basic knowledge of Spanish is definitely an advantage here. If you do not have any knowledge of Spanish at the moment, we recommend that you take part in a language course, which we will be happy to organize for you. You can take the language course before your time in the project.
All volunteers live together on the project site in a large house. Depending on how many volunteers there are in the project at the time, you will either have a room on your own or in pairs. Meals are included in the price. The project has its own cook, who will provide you with three meals a day. The food is typical Guatemalan, and there are also vegetarian and vegan options. There is also a swimming jetty where you can swim and soak up the sun in the afternoon. There is only limited Wi-Fi in the project. You can also use internet cafés or restaurants in Flores.
Anja is originally from Germany, but has lived in Guatemala for many years. Antigua in particular has become a second home with a large family and many friends. The Citythat Country and its Culture She knows Guatemala inside out and is looking forward to sharing her fascination for life and the people of Guatemala. She will also be happy to give you Tipsfor example, regarding hikes to the volcanoes around Antigua, which promise spectacular views and are one of her favorite places. Anja will guide you during the Introductory event in Antigua and is available to you as a German-speaking contact person via WhatsApp. Since she herself was a volunteer in Brazil a few years ago, she knows exactly what moves you and always has a open ear for you.
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