Available Placements Ecotourism Conservation Humanitarian Teaching ResearchOrganic Farms

Wildlife Refuge

Placement number: 0143
Location: Bolivia
Preferred Languages:   Spanish and English
Date:  All Year
Minimum Period : 15 days

"Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi" is a Bolivian Non-Governmental Organisation staffed by
volunteers from around the world. It is Bolivia's only refuge for abused wild animals.

In 1996, the organization founded a wildlife refuge in "Parque Machía", Villa Tunari. In
2002 Quest Overseas made it possible to purchase our own land on which to establish a
new, much larger refuge between Trinidad and Santa Cruz, called Parque Ambue Ari. Animal
numbers were growing beyond Machía's capacity, and having our own land offers us the
security we need to plan longer into the future. We desperately need volunteers to help
with this enormous and exciting challenge.

"Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi" is also working with indigenous communities, its several
thousand young members, schools and colleges, the media and international organisations,
to raise awareness of the cruelty of the wild animal trade and the need to protect the
environment.

The organization's name means sun, star, moon in the local Indian languages Quechua,
Aymara and Guarani. It represents the principal Bolivian cultures and symbolizes national
unity.

The organization was founded in 1992 and today has branches throughout Bolivia, and in
North America, England, Switzerland and Israel, all founded and run by volunteers of the
animal refuge.

Role of Volunteer

The refuges house over 1000 animals - monkeys, birds, tortoises, coatis, sloths and cats.
All were illegally poached and kept in private homes, hotels and circuses, often in
disgusting conditions.

Volunteers come from all over the world to join the "Inti Wara Yassi" community. They
rehabilitate the animals, work with visitors and help run the organization during the
day, and enjoy the quiet jungle life with friends from all over the world, during the
evenings. Every member of staff except the vets is a volunteer.

Everyone can volunteer, you don't need previous experience or a biology degree, all you
need is a big heart and the will to work hard to save the animals.

Volunteers who want to come and help taking care of the animals are required to stay for
a minimum of 15 days. Volunteers, who wish to be responsible for a specific animal need
further training and therefore are required to stay for a month (usually more for the
cats). Most volunteers stay for longer periods of time and often return to the refuge for
a second and third time.
Please not that it is difficult for the owners of this project to get to read email and it may take some time to get to answer you. They recommended that you "just turn up but this cannot be recommended by Ecoteer.

Volunteer stories

Find out what our past volunteers thought of this placement!

Various volunteers
"Working so close with these kinds of animals is once in a lifetime..and actually feeling that your actually doing something for these animals instead of just travelling about, getting drunk in various places for 6 months...
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! "

Katie Hilborn - Summer 2008
I worked at both Parque Ambue Ari and Parque Machia this Summer' 08 and had a wonderful experience.  Many of these animals have been rescued off the black market where they were abused or neglected, and it is our job to help release them back into the wild, OR if they can never go back, we help give them a better life here at the park.  I tended to 20 sick and wounded monkeys in the clinic at Machia and nursed them back to health.  At Ambue Ari, I looked after 3 puma sisters and took them for walks through the Jungle 5 hours per day, feed them, and cleaned their enclosure.  It was an amazing experience. Some advice, if they want to work with monkeys, go to Machia.  If they want to work with cats, they can go to Machia OR Ambue Ari.  But Ambue Ari has more cats.  Also, if they want to work with cats, they have to stay for at least 1 month.  For the monkeys, the monkey release programs require 3-4 weeks min.  But if you're only staying 2 weeks, you can work in the clinic, or in the monkey tourist park.  Or with in the avery at either park.
 
Also, as a side-note.  It takes about a month to get comfortable with your cat, and for the cat to get comfortable with you.  A lot of people regret not being able to stay longer than 1 month, because that's when they finally are able to bond with them.

Sharon DeWaard - Summer 2007
It was one of the most amazing experiences that I have ever had in my entire Life. I absolutely loved it!    You work hands on with the animals which is the best part. Walking a puma through the jungle or playing with monkeys....life can't get any better.

Cost

The first 15 days' volunteering cost US$120 at Parque Machía or US$160 at Parque Ambue Ari (as food's included). (At Parque Machía there is 'deluxe' accommodation for US$120 - it's still basic but the bathroom is only shared between two! (We can't do reservations so its first-come first-served!)
After the first 15 days Machía costs US$6 - 8  per day (depending upon accommodation), and Ambue US$8 (food inc'd).

Machia has an ATM and internet cafe in the town.  Ambue Ari in the middle of the jungle, nearest ATM is 5 hr bus ride, nearest internet cafe is 40 min. bus ride, nearest village is a 20 min. bus ride.

Travel

By bus

Parque Machia is in Villa Tunari, which is 4-6 hours by bus from Cochabamba, or around 12 from Santa Cruz. You can ask to be dropped off outside the park.

Parque Ambue Ari is more remote: The closest major town is Guarayos, which is roughly 5 hours by bus from Santa Cruz. There is only one company that goes direct to the park, which is Transportes del Oriente. The current times of departure from Santa Cruz for the direct bus are 8:00, 9:00, and 4:00 (these times are Bolivian, and thus highly flexible). There are many companies who have buses to Guarayos during the day, however, and from Guarayos there are lots of buses during the day that will take you the 45 minutes out to the park (all operated by Transportes del Oriente, ask at the bus terminal for when and where to catch them). These buses past the park go the other way as well, so it''s fairly easy to hop from the park into Guarayos to get to any of the services the town offers if you want.

Contact Us: Travelling abroad can be a daunting experience. We know because we've done it. If you have a question then we can help.