Care of Rescued Wildlife

location
2 - 20 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Excellent 4.8  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Immerse in the local culture of Ecuadorian people
  • Volunteer will learn about animals and how to take care them.
  • Hike to feed the animals

Highlights

  • Immerse in the local culture of Ecuadorian people
  • Volunteer will learn about animals and how to take care them.
  • Hike to feed the animals
  • You will learn about our culture and also learn spanish
  • The oportunity to visit nice places in the Amazonia Ecuadorian


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Families
    Groups

    About the program

    By volunteering at our refuge you will have a once in a life time opportunity to work with our various big cats including jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, parrots and more.

    Zoorefugio tarqui was created in 2008 by Willian López and Fanny Bonilla, with the main objective to help the animals that are victims of the illegal trafficking, we take care of them and provide what is necessary to improve their quality of life. 

    Volunteer help is ...

    About the program

    Zoorefugio tarqui was created in 2008 by Willian López and Fanny Bonilla, with the main objective to help the animals that are victims of the illegal trafficking, we take care of them and provide what is necessary to improve their quality of life. 

    Volunteer help is really important for all the animals, as we do not receive funds from the government, it is a hard work but it is wonderful to care of them, we need help of people that love animals and do not mind to get hands dirty, volunteers help is needed all the year. 

    Volunteers’ activities are from cleaning enclosures, paths, until feed the animals, caring the animals in quarantine (arrived animals, or baby animals), and work in enrichment area. 

    You will learn about Ecuadorian culture, share with locals, learn new skills, and learn Spanish in a natural way.

    Our preservation work is achieved through 3 processes, education, recreation and research. In these 3 areas we cover key issues such as illegal trafficking of animals. We often receive animals that have been the victim of trafficking or similar illegal activities, upon receiving such individuals we try to rehabilitate and release them back into the wild when possible. However the sad fact is that this is not always possible so some individuals remain with us at our zoo, we endeavour to provide these animals with an environment as similar to their natural habitat as possible. It is our excellent work with such animals that has lead other rescue centres to send us animals they receive and cannot care for, as well as receiving many illegally kept animals seized by the Ministry of Environment. Be a volunteer in our Refuge! 

    The Location

    Located in the Ecuadorian Amazon Basin we are not only a refuge for orphaned and rescued animals for but we also help to preserve the Amazonian wildlife. Zoorefugio Tarqui is located in the Amazon, in the small town of Tarqui. The city is calm and safe, and its people are friendly. It is surrounded by three indigenous communities.In the Amazon, the weather runs from brilliantly sunny to downright wet (it is the rainforest), so we recommend raingear and layering work clothes, also boots and a flashlight.

    What you can expect

    By volunteering at our zoo you will have a once in a life time opportunity to work with our various big cats including Jaguars, Ocelots and our Puma family. As well as big cats we also have and offer you the opportunity to work closely with capuchin, spider and woolly monkeys, macaws, peccaries, and tapirs as well as many more animals. 

    Resources are SCARCE as we do not receive any funding from the government or any other organisation, so your contributions are vital to help us save the local wildlife and improve the life of our resident animals.

    Internal Rules

    1. Keep the room and the bathroom clean, so change trash bag when it is necessary, keep the communal area in the house clean. In addition, ask Fanny about trash bags, and material to clean.
    2. Put the trash away
    3. When the trash is full carry to the big dump located in the entrance of the Zoo.
    4. The fee is paid before the volunteers ‘arrival.
    5.  In your free day the food is not our responsibility
    6.   Be respectful with the others, do not be noisy when the others are resting or sleeping.
    7. Be on time for the meals and for the work.
    8. Breakfast 7-7:30 am. It is prepared for each volunteer
    9. Lunch time at 12:00 -12:30 pm. It is prepared by a cooker.
    10. Dinner at 6-7:00 pm. It is prepared by the cooker.
    11. After the meals wash your crockery.
    12. After the breakfast there is a meeting with the coordinator or zookeeper to organize the daily activities.
    13. Put the stuff away.
    14. If any inconvenience with another volunteer first tell Fanny, not act for yourself.
    15. Always lock the doors.
    16. If there is not petrol for the hot water, tell Fanny or Willian.
    17. If there is not pure water, bring the empty bottle and fill with new water.
    18.  Any inconvenience with water, electricity or others, tell  Willian.
    19. Take care of your stuff, especially if you are leaving to Puyo at night the Zoorefugio  is not responsible for the lost stuff.
    20. Do not smoke near the animals or people, in Ecuador is not allowed to smoke in  public places.
    21. Do not drink alcohol, or use drugs in the zoo and in the house. (use drugs is illegal  in Ecuador)
    22. Do not take the food of the animals.
    23.  Do not take unknown people or friends to the volunteer’s house (house is just for volunteers)
    QUARANTINE

    Step on the disinfectant container (pediluvio) before to enter in the quarantine.
    1. Check the notebook of quarantine, and write observations and suggestions (very useful in weekends), if there is some doubt, ask for Silvia vet.
    2. Feeding, and change the water of the animals and clean the enclosures every day.
    3. Cleaning the floor with water (morning and afternoon) and disinfectant (afternoon).
    4. Check the trash or rubbish if it´s full or smell a lot of, change it and carry the trash to the main dump in the entrance of the zoo.
    5. When a cage is emptied, we have to disinfect it.
    6. Deep cleaning on Wednesdays, with chloro or disinfectant on the floor.
    7. Do not be noisy

    NUTRITION AREA
    1. Before to enter, wash your boots and step on the pediluvio (area with disinfectant)
    2. Prepare the diets as it written on the board.
    3. Use the right recipients to feed each animal. The trash buckets only works like rubbish, NEVER USE TO FEED SOME ANIMAL, also no use feed bucket to pick trash.
    4. When the feeding time is finish please clean the nutrition area with water and  sweep.
    5. Every Wednesday or Thursday deep cleaning of this area.
    6. Take the trash to the main dump in the entrance of the restaurant.
    7. The fruits from the nutrition area are just for animal’s nutrition. But if your diet requires fruit you can get it in the town.
    8. Put the materials that you used in the right order.
    Handle of animals
    1. Do not be trustful with the animals, always be alert.
    2. Do not realize hard movements.
    3. Do not be noisy.
    4. Put the food in the feeding area.
    5. Always lock the doors.
    6. Check the water. (do not forget the top open)
    7. On Tuesday deep cleaning for all the cages
    8. Close the door well.
    9. The area of felines will be done by personnel from the zoo.
    10. If you are hurt please tell Fanny or a zoo keeper to get help.





    Typical day

    Volunteers are asked to work 5 days a week and between the hours of 8:00-12:00 and 15:00-17:00 just 6 hours a day. Usually it is Monday to Friday.

    • A typical volunteer day begins at 8:00 am.
    •  First they prepare their own breakfast to start the day, then they walk to the nutrition area where they meet ...

    Typical day

    Volunteers are asked to work 5 days a week and between the hours of 8:00-12:00 and 15:00-17:00 just 6 hours a day. Usually it is Monday to Friday.

    • A typical volunteer day begins at 8:00 am.
    •  First they prepare their own breakfast to start the day, then they walk to the nutrition area where they meet with the zookeeper and all the volunteers to prepare the different animal diets.
    • Feeding the animals from 8am -12pm, includes cutting fruits or vegetables, cleaning the enclosures, receiving food scraps.
    •   During the day the volunteers can carry out different activities such as painting, cleaning the trails, making some repairs, things that sometimes the volunteers are very skillful
    • At 12pm volunteers have lunch at the center.
    •  After lunch the volunteers have a break until 15:00 pm  where they end up feeding a few animals until 17:00 pm
    • Finally, the volunteers have diner at 5pm and then go to the volunteers house.
    • After diner volunteers are free, so can do other activities such as walking, visiting  the town Tarqui, visiting the nearest city Puyo.

    Daily activities 
    We are currently taking care about 300 animals like, monkeys, many species of parrots and macaws; mammals; reptiles and felines. The volunteer’s activities are: 
    • Prepare the diets (chop the fruits and vegetables) 
    • Cleaning the cages 
    • Feeding the animals 
    • Sweeping and cleaning the paths 
    • Painting fences and poles
    • Repairing the enclosures 
    • Make enrichments 
    • Research about the different species in the zoo. (this is perfect for Biologist,veterinarians, Zookeepers people,....


    Free-time activities

    ZOOREFUGIO TARQUI organizes a full-day jungle tour in which it consists of visiting an indigenous community and carrying out different activities such as walking, visiting the viewpoint of Puyo, canoeing, visiting the cocoa farm, and observing giant fish called paiche. This tour has no cost but the ...

    Free-time activities

    ZOOREFUGIO TARQUI organizes a full-day jungle tour in which it consists of visiting an indigenous community and carrying out different activities such as walking, visiting the viewpoint of Puyo, canoeing, visiting the cocoa farm, and observing giant fish called paiche. This tour has no cost but the volunteer has to pay for the activities they want to do.

    Ecuador is beautiful and we want to show you all of its best parts. We have every type of landscapehere, from Jungle to snow topped glaciers, plains, mountains, caves and epic waterfalls. We encourage you to go out and explore our wonderful country on your days off and we can arrange where to go and how to get there to make everything easy and cheap for you. 

    In the neighbouring tourist town of Baños there are many activities like bridge jumping, ziplining and canyoning. Baños lies at the foot of an active volcano and there are regular tours, when its not overly active that is, to see the lava from a safe distance.


    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (basic level) or Spanish (basic level)

    Criminal Background Check

    required

    Required Documents

    Travel insurance

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    You will learn everything about animal care.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00 - 17:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by Zoorefugio Tarqui

    Volunteers are provided with:
    • 3 meals a day.
    • Housing with comfortable beds, 1 shared bathroom and hot water all day.
    • Free access to Wi-Fi.
    • A swimming pool (clean and well maintained).
    • Various communal areas in which to sit and socialise during free time


    Accommodation

    The volunteers will stay in a volunteer house located near the zoo. It is made up of single rooms, double rooms, as well as private and shared bathrooms. Volunteers can also relax in the hammock in the common room. The accommodation is equipped with hot water, WiFi, electricity and a sink for washing clothes. Sheets and blankets are provided. If you are prone to chilliness, we recommend bringing a sleeping bag for extra comfort.


    We provide linen and blankets, if you are prone to chilliness, we recommend bringing a sleeping bag for extra comfort.

    • The house has electricity. 
    • There is internet in the house.
    • The house is located near the zoo. There is hot water.
    • There is a washing machine
    • There are 5 bedrooms and one shared bathroom, also there are, dinning room, living room and kitchen.
    • There is a communal area in the house and also a hammock to relax.
    • The rooms are double, and single.
    • The availability is for 7 volunteers at the same time.


    To join the site, you have to take a bus or taxi. If you prefer to take a taxi from the airport to Zoorefugio Tarqui, just let us know. It cost 160 us dollars.

    Food & Beverages

    3 meals a day are included, Monday to Saturday. The midday and evening meals are prepared by a cook. Volunteers can prepare breakfast in the kitchen. In general, there is milk and fruit (pineapple bananas, passion fruit) according to taste. Drinks, ice cream and the like are not included in the participation fee, as are meals on holidays.

    Note: Sunday (full day) and Saturday (only evening) meals are not included.

    Volunteers prepare their own breakfast, the host provide bread, milk, eggs, and coffee (chocolate, or tea)

    The lunch and dinner are prepared by a cooker and it is served in the Zoorefugio.

    The food is provided by the owner.

    The beverages, ice cream and others are not included in the fee.

    In your days off the food is not our responsibility.

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Airport Pickup at Mariscal Sucre International Airport

    An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) in Quito. We assist you to find cheap flights to Ecuador. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Ecuador provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Ecuador you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Ecuador. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    Volunteer's Arrival are from Monday to Friday
     We receive volunteers during all the year!

    We work from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday volunteers have day off.
    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    2 weeks (min. stay) 499€
    4 weeks 978€
    9 weeks 2,234€
    20 weeks (max. stay) 4,988€
    Average fees 249€/week

    Program fees

    249€ per week 2 - 20 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    2 - 20 weeks

    Deposit

    The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


    Final Payment

    Your final payment will be agreed with Zoorefugio Tarqui during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    Zoorefugio Tarqui

    Excellent 4.8 rating (16 reviews)

    Non-profit - founded in 2007

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Fanny

    Spoken languages: Spanish, French, English

    About the project

    Zoorefugio Tarqui's mission is to preserve the wild species of the Ecuadorian rainforest, which are today threatened by human activity.

    Meet your organization


    “Don't be an accomplice of illegal wildlife trade, don't purchace animals, don't treat them like your pet, don't violate their natural habit. Your house is not their home even though you can help them.” - Hernán Orellana, 2012

    Mission:Our mission is to preserve wildlife in the rainforest of Ecuador, which is threatened today by anthropogenic activities. For this purpose, we provide specialized care for the welfare of the animal, by promoting scientific research and offering a message of environmental awareness to general public.

    Vision:Our vision is to gather information on behavor, nutrition, and reproduction when necessary, with that object of compiling such information in a database. This information could be accessed by people or organizations to help wild animal care or reserch.

    Values:Because this is the center where we all work carefully with wild species, we must take into account the responsibility, identity, communication, honesty, solidarity, compassion and respect, in order to continue with the daily struggles we face for animal's welfare and conservation of biodiversity in Ecuador.

    Our Goals:

    • To receive, Rehabilitate and Release wild animals when they need it, in case they are rescued from the illegal Wildlife smuggling or in some adverse situations.
    • To conserve wildlife in the Ecuator's Amazon
    • To safeguard wildlife and reintroduce them into their natural habitat when we can.
    • To conduct scientifically viable research.
    • To educate and sensitize the general public, doing tours and talks about environmental education.
    • To increase awareness of Ecuador's threatened biodiversity and its importance and value in the field of wildlife conservation.
    We handle a variety of species distributed in:
    • Mammals : Primates, Felinos, Prociónidos, Artiodáctilos, Perisodáctilos, Roedores, Mustélidos
    • Birds : Psitácidas, Rapaces
    • Reptiles : Alligators, Tortugas, Serpientes


    16 reviews · rating4.8

    Daniela Yeardley rating4.8

    2023 at Care of Rescued Wildlife

    I had the best time volunteering at the zoo. I loved seeing the animals everyday and working with the other volunteers. I was lucky to work at the same time as 8 other volunteers as that's more friends to make and more fun to have. The Jungle days are the best! Swimming under waterfalls, swinging ...
    Mia Walmsley rating2.2

    2023 at Care of Rescued Wildlife

    This volunteering experience hugely relies on the other volunteers. In my experience it was only me and one other person, and that other person made my time very unenjoyable. If this is the case there is no escape, not only do you have to work with them you also have to live with and do other ...
    Jacquelyn Schonman rating5

    2022 at Care of Rescued Wildlife

    I had an amazing time staying in the volunteer house and meeting the kind people of the town. The town of Puyo 10 minutes away is so fun and full of cool restaurants and little authentic shops. I loved asking questions at the zoo and learning about all the animals at the zoo. Everyday was just so ...
    Ella Mullett rating5

    2022 at Care of Rescued Wildlife

    Me and my friend have been travelling South America for over 3 months and have seen some incredible things but our 2 weeks at Zoorefugio was the most amazing and rewarding experience ever. Willian and Fanny and their children are so welcoming, the house is great, the food they prepare for you is ...
    Angela Stamatiadi rating5

    2022 at Care of Rescued Wildlife

    We, me and my best friend, had a wonderful time there and we learned a lot of things. It was our first volunteer program, and it was worth it. The house was around 10 minute's walk from the Zoo. The Zookeepers, Vincente and Heime, were very nice and friendly. The girls who prepared your food at the ...
    Helene DEHOUCK rating5

    2020 at Care of Rescued Wildlife

    I loved my first volunteering experience in Zoo Tarqui with Fanny and Willian. They are very nice, available and give lot of instructions when volunteers arrive to the Zoo. I learned lot of things about animals thanks to the employees from the zoo. Fanny's meals are delicious, thanks to her I ...

    Location

    Americas > South America > Ecuador > Parroquia Tarqui

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