On this project you’ll be working in a refuge situated on a 45 hectare tract of land on Lake Peten Itza next to the Petencito Zoo, just a 10 minute boat ride from the touristic center of Flores. A dreamed location as in touch with nature as it gets! It is comprised of a quarantine area, veterinary hospital, rehabilitation enclosures, flight cages, kitchen, dining and workshop area, volunteer house, employee housing and a large floating dock. There are also animal cages and enclosures scattered throughout the jungle in order to reduce stress to the animals. There is also an Environmental Education and Interpretation Center open for visitors to allow them to learn about the Rescue Center and the problems of the illegal pet trade without interfering negatively in the rehabilitation process.
The science of wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and re-introduction is a new one, and is more complex than it first appears; not simply a question of opening the door of the cage and letting the animal out. Several factors come into play which you should be aware of before coming to volunteer at the Rescue Center. Animals to be released into the wild must have the necessary skills to be able to survive in the wild. For example, baby jaguars spend 18 months with their mothers learning to hunt and avoid dangers before venturing out on their own. Birds specially must not become imprinted on humans because once they are released into the wild or they will simply fly back to the nearest humans and either be caught or killed. Most importantly they must be healthy and not introduce infectious diseases into native populations. On this project you’ll be working with professionals that work on the cutting edge of this new science and they welcome you to help as they find ways to re-introduce these orphaned animals.