from 345€

Brilliant 4.7rating (11)

Support Rescued Wildlife

location
2 - 50 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

Volunteer with rescued animals at one of our 3 Wildlife Sanctuaries in the Bolivian Amazon.

We accept volunteers all year round: 

We welcome volunteers from around the world to assist us in caring for the animals in our refuges. You will be involved in activities such as exercise, providing enrichment, cleaning, and feeding. You might also be asked to assist with maintenance projects and ...

About the program

We accept volunteers all year round: 

We welcome volunteers from around the world to assist us in caring for the animals in our refuges. You will be involved in activities such as exercise, providing enrichment, cleaning, and feeding. You might also be asked to assist with maintenance projects and construction. Over 7,000 international individuals have volunteered with us in the past 25 years. 

The minimum time commitment required to volunteer is: 

  • 2 weeks to work with coatis, tayra, primates and others.
  • 4 weeks (or sometimes longer) to work with the puma that walks on trails

Location: 

  • Jacj Cuisi Sanctuary - near Rurrenabaque

Some of the highlights of volunteering with us are: 

  • A unique, worthwhile and memorable experience 
  • Gain hands-on experience of caring for wildlife
  • Get up close and personal with rescued pumas
  • Incredibly rewarding 
  • Community living - share this experience with many like-minded volunteers
Why to volunteer with us?

Many animals arrive at our Centres with various problems, such as poor nutrition, malnourishment, health problems, loss of identity, psychological traumas or physical ailments due to the conditions in which they were kept previously. The majority of these animals cannot be re-released due to the irreversible damage caused by humans since they were taken from their natural habitats. Therefore we work to offer each and every one of these animals the best possible quality of life, including a proper diet, as large an enclosure as we are able to build them, exercise and stimulation.

Work areas

Jacj Cuisi cares for pumas, albifron monkeys, squierrel monkeys, spider monkeys, coatis, tayra and others.

All volunteers working with animals assist in cleaning, preparing food and providing enrichment. In addition to this some areas have further responsibilities/duties. The minimum number of days required to work in each area is a policy put in place for the benefit and stability of our animals.

Accommodation

Jacj Cuisi has one basic volunteer dorm that sleeps up to 8 people. There is limited mobile phone signal at specific points in the sanctuary, however only with the provider Entel. There is no electricity and volunteers currently sleep in one large dorm with bunk beds on straw mattresses. Bedsheets are provided. Pillows and mosquito nets are given out upon request and depending on availability. You may wish to bring a sleeping bag or blanket for colder nights, and you will need a padlock to lock your room during the day.

There are two ecological toilets with attached showers. A nearby creek is used primarily for relaxing and bathing. Please try to bring biodegradable soaps with you as much of this water directly enters the water system.

There is an equipped kitchen where the staff cook three meals per day. 



Typical day

Each day you will meet at the kitchen at 6.30 am,  there is a list of rotating morning tasks that you will be assigned to. You will have time to have breakfast before preparing the animals food or starting construction, it will depend on which area you are working in, and then you will need to go ...

Typical day

Each day you will meet at the kitchen at 6.30 am,  there is a list of rotating morning tasks that you will be assigned to. You will have time to have breakfast before preparing the animals food or starting construction, it will depend on which area you are working in, and then you will need to go to your management area for the morning.

You will be back at 12:30 to have lunch and rest, to start again at 2:00 pm
You will have different tasks through the day: Make enrichment, cleaning, go for a walk with the animals, some construction projects, etc
The day will finish around 5.30 - 6.00 pm


Free-time activities

Volunteers usually work 6 days a week. With this time they are free to visit the nearest town, which for Jacj Cuisi is Rurrenabaque. 


In Rurrenabaque there are hikes with stunning views, waterfalls hanging bridges, etc. Plus lovely restaurants and hotels with pools to relax by after a long week of ...

Free-time activities

Volunteers usually work 6 days a week. With this time they are free to visit the nearest town, which for Jacj Cuisi is Rurrenabaque. 


In Rurrenabaque there are hikes with stunning views, waterfalls hanging bridges, etc. Plus lovely restaurants and hotels with pools to relax by after a long week of work. 


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)

Required Documents

Yellow Fever Vaccination

Nationality Restrictions

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

Other Skills

* Be in a good physical condition, with a flexible attitude towards work * Be able to work in humid weather conditions * Have a basic understanding of English or Spanish * A passion to help animals

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 07:00 - 18:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi

To reserve your place there is a one-off reservation fee of $100 USD, paid via Volunteer World.
The remainder is paid in Bolivianos in cash upon arrival to the Sanctuary.
*The is a 300 Bs security deposit paid in cash upon arrival, this is returned to you at the end of your stay

Accommodation

Jacj Cuisi’s accommodation, included in the price of your stay, is basic. There is limited mobile phone signal at specific points in the sanctuary, however only with the provider Entel. There is no electricity and volunteers currently sleep in one large dorm with bunk beds. Each volunteer is given a mosquito net (when available) and a set of sheets, but we recommend that volunteers bring a sleeping bag or blanket in the dry season when nights can become cold.

There are two ecological toilets with attached showers. A nearby creek is used primarily for relaxing and bathing. Please try to bring biodegradable soaps with you as much of this water directly enters the water system.

Food & Beverages

Food is included in the cost. Volunteers and staff generally take turns cooking for everyone and most meals are vegetarian.

Breakfast includes bread, jam, fruit and coffee. You may wish to bring cereal or oatmeal with you to supplement this meal. Many grocery items can be purchased in Rurrenabaque.

If you have any special dietary requirements or want specific foods, you should bring them with you. Vegans are advised to bring protein-rich foods or supplements.

Water is treated from the creek and is safe to drink. However, if you are concerned about water purity you can bring water purification tablets or purchase bottled water in Rurrenabaque.


What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Airport Pickup at Rurrenabaque

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

Internet Access

Sorry, no access at the project site

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Rurrenabaque (RBQ) in Rurrenabaque. We assist you to find cheap flights to Bolivia. 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 Bolivia provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

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

Details on arrival

Volunteers are accepted all year round. 

You may, however, wish to bear in mind the following trends in volunteer numbers in choosing when to come:

  • April - August: volunteer numbers tend to reach higher levels, this is our high season.
  • October - February: volunteer numbers tend to be lower, this is when we have a greater need for help. 
Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

2 weeks (min. stay) 345€
4 weeks 2 days 602€
50 weeks (max. stay) 4,034€
Average fees 126€/week

Program fees

126€ per week 2 - 50 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

2 - 50 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 Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi

Brilliant 4.7 rating (11 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 1992

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Ana

Spoken languages: English, Spanish

About the project

Our main concern is animal trafficking. We’re working to end it and in the meantime offering refuge to those animals who have fallen victim to it.

Meet your organization

For more than 25 years CIWY has cared for rescued wildlife, given disadvantaged youth a sense of purpose through involvement with wildlife care & educated the Bolivian public to respect wildlife.

Our largest focus continues to be aiding animals affected by the animal trade, although in more recent years we have focused more of our attention on preventing the illegal animal trade that is the culprit behind the need for our work.

- The 3 wildlife sanctuaries we have are in Bolivia.

Bolivia’s land isn’t just diverse—some of its features have broken records! Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest lake that’s deep enough for a boat to sail on. Salar de Uyuni, which sits in the southwest of the country, is the world’s largest salt flat. And the world’s highest forest sits more than 13,000 feet above sea level in Bolivia’s Sajama National Park. This takes cool scenery to new heights.  


- We are looking for more than 400 rescued animals, most of them came from black market or destruction of their habitat.


- Why choose us?

Volunteering in our wildlife centres is hard work. However, it is also incredibly rewarding, unique and sure to be a memorable experience.

11 reviews · rating4.7

Solene Pra rating5

2024 at Care for Rescued Wildlife

I stayed only for two weeks. I have to say it was too short. I really recommend staying more to be able to learn all about the different animals you have to take care of. I really felt that the community is working really hard to give as much as possible hapiness to all the rescued animals. It was ...
Bianca Teixeira rating4.6

2024 at Care for Rescued Wildlife

I only got to stay for 2 weeks but loved taking care of the animals. The place is truly dedicated to social and environmental impact. All permanent staff and volunteers are clearly dedicated to rehabilitating the animals and making sure they are as close as can be to their wild behaviour. ..
Juan Genaro Suarez Castillo rating4.8

2023 at Care for Rescued Wildlife

I volunteered in Ambue Ari for 8 weeks and I must say it was an amazing experience. This is a place that truly cares about the animals, so if you expect a zoo-like experience where you can pet animals as you please, then this is definitely not for you. You are here for the animals, not to take ...
Luca-Maria Stoll rating4.2

2022 at Care for Rescued Wildlife

So I spent 4 weeks at Ambue Ari and I have to say that was a little to short for me. You need time to get used to everything and when that happened I already had to go. I really enjoyed the time there. Yes it’s hard work, especially because of the heat or the rain and the Moskitos but the work ...
Jhoselin Navarro rating5

2018 at Rescued Wildlife Supporter

Translated: It is an incredible organization, the work that is done is incredible in favor of the wild animals rescued from the traffic I am for a long time in the organization and I never stop learning Original: Es una organización increíble, el trabajo que se realiza es increíble a favor ...
Thijs Vanraes rating4.8

2018 at Care for Rescued Wildlife

For me it felt amazing to be able to connect so closely with animals and being able to give them a better life after coming mostly out of a horrible situation. Working with a big group of people who had the same mindset was part of the positive experience aswel.Now that this experience is behind ...

Location

Americas > South America > Bolivia > Rurrenabaque

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Contact Ana
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English, Spanish

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