Volunteering at an animal sanctuary in Costa Rica

Everyday work and impressions of the project

The days start at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast. At 8 a.m. there is a meeting in which the tasks of the day are discussed and distributed. Then it's time to get to work. First, the feed for the animals is prepared, which means cutting and weighing lots of fruit and vegetables. When that's done, it's time to feed, clean the enclosures and check the water bowls. We often didn't just put the food in the bowls, but put it on skewers, for example, or put it in plastic bottles with holes so that the birds had a little more trouble getting their food.

When all the work from the morning is done, we have free time until lunch at 12 noon. It doesn't start again until 13:30 p.m. During the lunch break, for example, you can sit at the pool, in the hammocks, with the other volunteers or go to the small supermarket nearby. It takes about 20 minutes to walk there.

At 13:30 p.m., everyone meets again and discusses what needs to be done in the afternoon. In principle, it's similar to the morning: preparing the food, feeding and checking the water. At 16:30 p.m. the sloths are fed. You get cooked vegetables and fresh leaves. The nocturnal honey bears are also cared for at this time. At 18 p.m. there is dinner.

There is also an "animal hospital" where injured animals and babies are cared for. However, only volunteers who are studying in the veterinary field or who already have work experience are allowed to help there.

The daily routine is largely the same every day. You can take one day off a week to go on excursions. You can either organize this yourself or contact the center team, who will get in touch with a tour guide or give tips and suggestions for excursions themselves.

It was a bit of a shame that if you weren't part of the vet team you couldn't get a deeper look into the animal hospital and therefore couldn't see all the babies very much. But it's important that they don't get used to people too much, because at best they'll be released back into the wild.

The highlight of my day was always feeding the sloths! During my time there I met so many great people from all over the world. For which I am very grateful! :) Also very positive was the organization in advance and my pickup from the airport, which went without any problems. Just like my first night in the student house in San José and the accommodation in the project.

Location

The project is located near a larger village where there are various shops and a club. However, the place can only be reached by car, it would be too far to walk. However, a little closer to the center there is a small supermarket and a restaurant bar where you can eat, drink and dance. Both places are within walking distance. The city of San José is about half an hour away.

Overall, the scenery in this area of ​​Costa Rica is just beautiful! Green mountains, coffee plantations, national parks, waterfalls, huge plants and lots of palm trees.

Living together with the other volunteers

During my time in the project there were four of us in the room. Everyone had their own bunk bed so could use the bottom one for sleeping and the top one to store some of their belongings. The number of participants varied between 6 and 12 volunteers. We were told that there are even up to 40 volunteers here in the summer.

The atmosphere among each other was always good. In our free time we often played cards or went to the pool together. Nevertheless, everyone was able to withdraw from time to time to be alone or to call their family. There were always at least three of us on day trips. It's just more fun when you share your experiences with others. We actually always spoke English with each other and the contact persons in the center also spoke English.

meaningfulness of the project

I think the project contributes to sustainable local structures. Because tours are also offered here for anyone who passes by the center and decides to take one. People are informed about the animals in the center and their awareness of the animal world is strengthened. I also definitely felt that my own involvement in the project was useful. All the tasks that need to be done every day would be too much for just two people and would take up a lot of time. Therefore, it is important that the employees of the center are supported. Because this way the work goes faster and abnormalities of the animals can be recognized and improved earlier.

Special moments

The national park with its beautiful beaches and paths through the middle of the forest is unforgettable. We even saw wild white-shouldered capuchin monkeys there! In addition, the evenings together with the other volunteers were always very nice, whether playing cards, singing karaoke or going out in the bar. It was always a lot of fun and you meet people from the USA, England, Israel and all over the world know world.

Of course, I also remember the animals there, how happy they were when we built something for them to play with. Or the sloths who are just adorable as they climb up to the food bowl and eat happily.

My whole time there shaped me a lot and I am glad that I took part in this project and supported it.

Field report by Laura, August/September 2022