Animal protection in the nature reserve on the Pacific
- In the middle of nature
- High learning value
- Work outdoors
The southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica is a largely untouched treasure. Wetlands that move deep into the country alternate with miles of palm trees. A research and observation center looks after the wildlife: turtles, crocodiles, birds, mammals and butterflies.
Ojochal
from 18 years
3 - 24 weeks
/ from €1.820
Saturday
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
What's the matter?
The beaches at Ojochal, north of the Osa Peninsula, give the impression of being in a dream world. Here you will find kilometers of untouched nature, mangrove and palm forests, winding rock caves and a unique animal world with parrots, otzelots, crocodiles or the endangered olive ridley turtles.
An environmental organization has been taking care of the region's wetlands since 2009: it examines the species and contributes to the preservation of the environment. In addition, it promotes the education of the population with training courses on the sensitive ecosystem. Around 7 to 9 permanent biologists, veterinarians and project coordinators work there all year round. They are supported by up to 18 volunteers who live in a volunteer house on the reserve.
The institution pursues various protection projects:
- On the beach, it helps to offer optimal breeding conditions for sea turtles. As a result, more than 2009 turtles have been born since 50.000.
- She watches the tree snakes in the local mangrove forests. They are collected and measured during night hikes.
- Cameras are used to collect data about mammals. These include raccoons, coatis, kinkajous, weasels, river otters, tayra, monkeys, anteaters, opposums and sloths. Important information about the natural balance can be obtained from the species population.
- The stock of crocodiles is regularly counted. Small crocodiles are also collected.
- Birds, such as parrots or toucans, are examined for their behavior and diet. In addition, butterflies are collected and sorted according to genera.
Your tasks as a volunteer
In the station you will become part of a research team. In a shift, 2 to 4 volunteers always work together with a permanent team member. You will examine animal species and occasionally do educational work, for example guiding school classes through the reserve. You will also plant trees and clear the reserve of garbage. The exact activities may vary depending on the season and the needs of the project.
Depending on your preferences, you can work with different animals. On the reserve there are crocodiles, snakes, birds, butterflies and various mammals all year round. As a team, you patrol the coastal region, look for the animals, measure them, examine them for their health and catalog them. Stingrays have also recently become part of the team's research on site.
The turtles only come from July to December to the beach and are therefore only part of the project during this time. The best months to see baby turtles are September through December. As a volunteer, you help to prepare the hatcheries, collect eggs and monitor the progress of the rearing.
You can also switch between the areas. However, we ask all volunteers to be open and flexible to do the tasks that come up. The on-site team will of course try to accommodate individual requests. However, it must be decided and reorganized as needed. We ask for your understanding.
In the nature reserve you will work 6 days a week for a maximum of 6 hours a day. One day at the weekend is free and you can either relax in the volunteer accommodation, go to the beach or book tours and explore the country. The working hours within the project vary, depending on the activities that are currently pending in the reserve and can occur both during the day and at night. A weekly schedule is prepared for this each week, in which your working hours are specified in advance. The (lunch) breaks can also take place at different times, depending on the tasks. For security reasons, you always work with at least one other person.
Accommodation Catering
Volunteer House in San Jose
Here you will spend your first night and depending on which project you have registered for as a volunteer, you will then drive to Ojochal or Puerto Viejo. If your volunteer project or your language course takes place directly in San José, this is your accommodation for the entire period.
The Volunteer House has two rooms for two participants each and one single room. All residents share two common bathrooms and the living room.
Your accommodation is located in downtown San José and within walking distance of restaurants, museums, theaters, parks, supermarkets, shopping streets, banks and stops. A laundry service is available on request.
Groceries are provided for breakfast and dinner and the volunteers prepare their own meals.
Your accommodation in Ojochal
The accommodation consists of a main building with kitchen and living room as well as a house for volunteers. There are toilets in both buildings, two in the main building and 6 in the volunteer building with a total of 8 showers surrounded by a garden.
The station can comfortably accommodate 15 to 18 volunteers.
11 rooms are single rooms, including one room for people with special needs, one room with a double bed and one room with three beds.
The rooms are not separated by gender. Only toilets and showers in the volunteer house. There are no air conditioners in the rooms, but there are fans.
The site is surrounded by the forest of the reserve. Both the beach and the village of Ojochal are about 5 minutes away. In the village you will find supermarkets, bars and restaurants.
Location
Ojochal
The project site is in the middle of nature, surrounded by the forest of the reserve. Located in southern Costa Rica, the Pacific Beach here is about 5 minutes away, as is the village of Ojochal.
The beaches at Ojochal, north of the Osa Peninsula, give the impression of being in a dream world. Here you will find kilometers of untouched nature, mangrove and palm forests, winding rock caves and a unique animal world with parrots, ocelots, crocodiles or the endangered olive ridley turtles.
Do you like being in nature and want to live in the tropics for a while? Do you have a heart for animals? Then we warmly welcome you here!
Your free time in Ojochal
Are you a volunteer in Ojochal and would you like to see more of your surroundings in your free time? Since your project location is on the coast, it is perfect for beach activities. Discover the different beach sections along the coast, go swimming there or just relax on the beach.
In the region around your project location, nature is the focal point. There are some national parks and nature reserves to discover, such as the Marino Ballena National Park. Located on the coast, it is a good spot for whale and dolphin watching. Another national park is Corcovado National Park, which is home to a variety of different plants and animals. With a little luck you will discover monkeys, tapirs, jaguars, macaws and many other animal and bird species.
A hidden gem in the region around Ojochal is the Cascada El PavĂłn, a small but beautiful waterfall. A large stone is stuck in the middle of the waterfall, which is visually reminiscent of the Kjeragbolten in Norway. Best of all, you can swim in the crystal clear water of the small pond in front of the waterfall! So don't forget your bathing suit and towel. After the bathing fun, it is best to strengthen yourself in the small restaurant that is right near the waterfall.
You can find more restaurants directly in Ojochal. There you can go out to eat with the other volunteers or end the evening comfortably in a bar.
On-site procedure
Arrive in San Jose
Upon arrival at San JosĂ© Juan SantamarĂa Airport, you will be picked up by an RGV team member and taken to your first accommodation at the Student House. On Sunday you drive to your place of work: either independently using public transport or the team will take you to your place of work (costs: 180 USD). You are expected at the project on Sunday afternoon.
Program with language course
If you have booked our language course, you will be taken to your accommodation (student house) in San José. The drive there takes about half an hour, depending on the traffic situation. After you have gotten to know the accommodation, you can move into your room and relax - your language course will start on the following Monday.
If several people with the same Spanish skills take part in the course on the same date, the language course will take place in a group for 4 hours a day from Monday to Friday. If this is not the case, you will receive 3 hours of individual lessons per day from Monday to Friday. The language course is canceled on public holidays and will not be rescheduled.
Orientation program in Costa Rica
On Monday, after your arrival at the project and before your project work begins, our team will prepare you for your assignment. You will receive information about your tasks and activities in the project as well as the customs of your host country so that you can settle in well in your new environment.
Your first day in the project
As soon as you have familiarized yourself with everything, you can start with your project work. Depending on how much previous knowledge you have and depending on the assessment and needs of the local specialists, you will be slowly introduced to the work or you will soon be assigned your own tasks.
return home
After the end of the project, you are responsible for your own transfer to the airport. If available, you can also stay in one of the RGV accommodations. If you want this, please let our team know at least 72 hours in advance. They then examine the possibilities. You have to pay extra for the overnight stays after the end of the project.
Pricing
-
3 weeks of participationbase fee€ 1.820, -
-
up to 21 weeks respectivelyextension week€ 410, - / week
included
Services
Before departure
- Individual advice and support from our trained RGV team in Munich
- Organization including placement in the project and coordination of your stay on site
- Assistance with preparation: visa, health care, travel insurance, etc.
- Non-binding flight advice
- Travel ABC with packing list for your travel preparation
- RGV t-shirt
On site
- Orientation program with the team on site
- Support and guidance from the on-site team
- RGV 24h emergency number
- Project t-shirt to wear during on-site activities
- Airport transfer on the agreed day of arrival
- Accommodation in Volunteer House
- First night in San Jose
- Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
After return
- Participation confirmation of your voluntary commitment
- Reflection course on your experiences abroad
- Evaluation sheet and optional feedback discussion
not included
Services
- Round trip
- Private expenses on site
- Excursions with microlight flights
- Travel and cancellation insurance
- Visa and Vaccinations
- All nights outside your agreed accommodation
- Public transport and extra transfers
- Airport transfer on departure day
Individual
Recommended additional offers
& must-haves
Would you prefer to stay in a single room? Are you vegan or do you have special requests for food? Or do you want to do some cool trips with other volunteers in your free time and explore the country?
With us, you benefit from a variety of optional additional services that you can add individually to your booking, depending on your preferences.
Cheap flights with our flight partner thanks to volunteer rates.
Would you like to receive a cheap flight offer for your stay abroad that is perfectly tailored to you? After you have successfully registered, you can have a non-binding offer created.
The excellent rates for volunteers, students and young people are a great advantage. Arrival times and flight time changes can also be sent directly to RGV upon request, so that our RGV teams in the destination countries are always informed about your arrival times.
These special tariffs give you special added value:
- maximum flexibility for rebookings and cancellations
- generous baggage allowance
- Additional discounts on one-way flights: The new volunteer tariffs include attractive discounts to reduce your financial burden on one-way flights (e.g. for stopovers, project or country combinations).
Benefit from the 4 in 1 ERGO travel insurance.
You can easily book the long-term travel protection of ERGO Reiseversicherung after you have registered. You will receive the links to this automatically after a successful registration.
The following building blocks are included:
- Health Insurance
- Comfort protection: accident, liability and interruption insurance
- Travel insurance
- Intensive Spanish classes
-
Two tools to get you started on your personal developmentPersonal development introductory courseFree of charge
Ojochal
Team
site
Your contact person and team leader in Costa Rica is Alberto. He used to work full-time as an engineer and now devotes himself entirely to volunteer projects. Alberto will support you during your time in Costa Rica and will be happy to help you with any questions you may have.
Volunteers talk about their experiences Joint commitment - big impact!
My experiences in the nature reserve in Costa Rica
Since I had already really liked the country in the first four weeks, I decided to stay a week longer to explore Costa Rica even more.
28.07.2023
Paul
Browse our magazine
RGV
FAQ
to the project
What are the project fees used for?
Although we are a non-profit organization, there are costs associated with volunteering abroad. Find out here, why volunteering requires money and what your project fee is used for.
What visa do I need for Costa Rica?
For Costa Rica you need a tourist visa, which you can apply for at the airport. This is valid for 180 days.
What language skills do I need for the project?
This project requires basic knowledge of Spanish or English. A Spanish language course is offered on site.
What vaccinations/ health precautions do I need?
If you are traveling from a yellow fever area, you need a yellow fever vaccination. Otherwise there are no compulsory vaccinations.
We generally recommend a consultation in a practice for travel and tropical medicine.
You can get general information about recommended health care and vaccinations online Center for Travel Medicine as well as on the side of Foreign Office.
When does the project always take place?
The project is closed over Christmas. However, you are welcome to use this time to explore the country and travel. However, if you decide to stay in your accommodation, you would have to pay for the week as a regular week.
Are there age restrictions for the project?
Participation in this project is possible for volunteers aged 18 to 50.
What are the requirements for the animal welfare project?
There are no special requirements for participation. What is important is having fun working with animals and being interested in animal welfare. Good physical fitness is often an advantage.
What do I need to bring with me for this project?
For work, it is best to wear light hiking clothing, such as boots, trousers, and light and well-drying shirts. However, you are welcome to wear loose summer clothing while working in the center of the reserve or similar activities.
How do I get from the Volunteer House into the project?
The transfer from the Volunteer House to the project is not included in the services, but can be booked on site. The prize is $180 and should be paid in cash to Alberto, the team leader in Costa Rica.
What do I have to consider as an LGBTQ person?
Please be aware that homosexual acts are considered undesirable in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and are even punishable by law in some places. In general, people who are identified as queer are often exposed to hostility.
For example, get information from Foreign Office about the exact regulations in your destination country.
Ready to volunteer in Costa Rica? Start your adventure abroad with Rainbow Garden Village!
Rainbow Garden Village has been offering volunteer work and internships abroad since 1999. What started as a small student initiative in Ghana has now grown into an organization with over 250 projects around the world.
You can be sure that your work as a volunteer will be an unforgettable experience. Bring your commitment and your knowledge to do good locally - and at the same time benefit from the unique experiences that will promote your personal development.
Become part of our RGV community!
We look forward to you.
RGV
Your way
to the volunteer
1
Choose your volunteer project and register online.
2
We will review your application and confirm your participation.
3
Prepare for your assignment online or in our preparatory seminar in Munich.
4
Here we go! During your volunteer work, we will support you at any time with our on-site team.
Gallery
Impressions &
Impressions
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