Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Volunteer Program

Get hands on at a busy animal rescue and release center in the Peruvian Amazon

AmazonAcademyPartnerLogo

Program Overview:
ARCAmazon works closely with an animal rescue and rehabilitation center to support the care and release of captured and injured wild animals. Many of the animals at the shelter are rescued from the illegal trafficking/pet trade and sometimes the ecological police bring them from abusive homes. Some of the animals are brought in by local people because they sick or dying, often due to hunting. Species at the center include red howler monkey, red brocket deer, coati, night monkey, macaws and parrots, toucans, yellow-footed tortoise, brown capuchin and peccary.
This position provides an opportunity to volunteer with animals at a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center in the Peruvian Amazon. Participants will help assist in the physical and psychological well-being of a number of fascinating Neotropical animals which are being rehabilitated at the shelter. Volunteers typically undertakes a list of tasks each day, from feeding animals and maintaining their enclosures, to behavioral studies and interpretation for visiting guests. The position offers those following a veterinary career or course who would like experience in tropical veterinary medicine the chance to practice at the center.
Program activities include:
  • Helping prepare food for sheltered animals
  • Taking part in feeding rounds in the mornings and evenings
  • Assisting with the construction and repair of animal enclosures
  • Assisting with the cleaning and furnishing of animal enclosures
  • Helping ensure the animals are kept fit and healthy
  • Assisting with carrying of goods when the team goes into town for supplies with the Jeep
  • Guiding and teaching local and international visitors to the center
  • Helping with clinical veterinary operations if necessary
  • Designing and developing educational materials and programs for local school children
  • Enjoying a number of rainforest experiences on days off including; visiting a parrot clay-lick, canoeing on the river, local nightlife in town, climbing a rainforest viewing tower, day trips into the Tambopata National Reserve, etc.
Further Details:
Volunteers normally participate for between 1 week and 6 months (sometimes shorter or longer). Most work is carried out at the Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Center located on the banks of the Tambopata River, within the world-renowned rainforest region of Tambopata-Madre de Dios, Peru. After an initial welcome and training session in Puerto Maldonado, Amazon Academy volunteers will be transported by car to the Center where they will live and work for the majority of their time with trips to and from town for supplies each week. ARCAmazon provides certificates to all program participants and is happy to consider providing character and employment references.
Loading…

1 WEEK (7 DAYS)

Placement Fee
$930 £715
Full Board, Training, 24/7 Supervisor, Daily Activities, Weekly Adventures, Airport Collection/Drop Off

2 WEEK (14 DAYS)

Placement Fee
$1,450 £1,115
Full Board, Training, 24/7 Supervisor, Daily Activities, Weekly Adventures, Airport Collection/Drop Off

3 WEEK (21 DAYS)

Placement Fee
$1,750 £1,346
Full Board, Training, 24/7 Supervisor, Daily Activities, Weekly Adventures, Airport Collection/Drop Off
Please Note:  ARCAmazon is a not-for-profit initiative and all fees are strictly used to cover the program’s expenses and direct protection of forest in the Las Piedras watershed. In cases where participants require services above and beyond our regular provisions (see ‘Included’ section below), an additional fee may be required to cover this (to be discussed on application).

Las Piedras Amazon Center (LPAC)

The Las Piedras Amazon Center (LPAC) has been designed to cater for field research, conservation tours, expeditions and learning programs. It has a rustic Medicine Man-style charm. For those who love to experience nature and raw wilderness in rustic comfort, this is the perfect place for immersion into the wild. The center is located near beautiful streams and waterfalls. It’s surrounded by over 50km of trail networks and research transects. The camp is comfortable and sustainable with raised camping platforms covered by up-cycled advertising billboards, a large 2-story central work/dining area and a fully-equipped kitchen. There is running water, limited electricity (4-5 hours a day), outdoor and indoor showers, western and composting toilets. The camp can hold up to 50 guests at a time. There is NO internet or cellular phone network. The center operates as a non-profit business, where 100% of income is used to improve infrastructure, pay dedicated conservation and research staff and expand ARCAmazon’s conservation reach.

See more about LPAC here.

ARCAmazon

Who We Are:

ARCAmazon is a Peruvian non-profit organization that is committed to protecting and conserving Peru’s Amazon Rainforest; its valuable natural resources, its function in reducing climate change, its biodiversity and indigenous peoples. ARCAmazon’s team of experts have been active in Peru’s Madre de Dios region since the 90’s. They have trained thousands of volunteers and interns from all around the world, encouraging many to go on to become professionals in the environmental sector. Our team is constantly gaining knowledge and experience of the complex relationships between humans and the rainforest environment. This helps us to refine our conservation strategies and essentially become more effective over time. We lead and support research on themes from biodiversity to ethnobotany, socio-economics to sustainable business, agro-forestry to permaculture and conservation. ARCAmazon believes in the importance of sharing data with land owners, policy makers, NGOs and businesses, to help encourage all parties to take a stake in protecting this critical part of the planet.

The Amazon Rainforest in Peru is the perfect environment for aspiring researchers and wildlife enthusiasts to gain invaluable knowledge and skills while making a difference on the front-lines of ecosystem and biodiversity conservation. The work we do requires energy and enthusiasm of many. We are looking for people from all nations, races, sexuality, ethnicity, ages, beliefs and interests to get involved. All we ask for is that you bring passion, respect, love and a desire to take action for good, to save one of the last truly wild frontiers on the planet.

Included in This Program

This is what we cover for you, using your fee:

  • Transfers on arrival and departure at Puerto Maldonado (airport, bus station or hotel)
  • Scheduled transport to and from the field
  • Shared lodging from start to end of the program (in the field and Puerto Maldonado)
  • Full board – three substantial and healthy 2-course meals each day
  • Clean drinking water, tea, coffee and refreshments at all times
  • Limited use of electricity generator each day (4-5 hours)
  • General support and training: Health & Safety; trail use and orienteering, basic jungle survival, basic ecology, impacts and challenges affecting the forests in Madre de Dios; research and conservation solutions for the rainforests in Madre de Dios
  • Specialized training (depending on the program)
  • Personal supervision by an experienced field coordinator (2-6 participants per coordinator)
  • Care and support from an experienced logistics and administration team based at the ARCAmazon head office in Puerto Maldonado
  • Weekly excursions (macaw and parrot clay-lick, boat rides, mini-expeditions, hikes, waterfalls, community social events, sports, etc.)
  • The experience of one of the most spectacular natural environments on Earth with alongside a highly trained and fun team of conservationists

What is not included:

  • Travel insurance (compulsory for all participants)
  • Flights and/or bus tickets to and from Puerto Maldonado
  • Spending money for snacks, drinks and souvenirs
  • Personal equipment (headlamp, bug repellent, binoculars etc.)
  • Participants may prefer to bring their own tent if they would like to camp instead of share accomodation with others
  • Add-ons (Tours to Machu Picchu, Cusco and other parts of Peru, full expeditions, lazy river experience, remote native community visit, etc.) – please inquire on application
Top

Other Volunteer and Internship Programs You Might Like

Loading…

You Might Also Like to Consider

Need More Info? Get In Touch:

captcha