Conservation Intern in the Peruvian Amazon

Name: Conservation Intern in the Peruvian Amazon
Start: 2026-01-01
End: 2027-12-31
Location: Peru

Code: 2ab5985d-bce3-11f0-8df3-fa163ef8d720 Copied

Peru Youth activities Environment Youth activities Environment Fixed dates

About the project

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

RAREC is a non-profit organization dedicated to wildlife conservation, whose core programs are the rescue and rehabilitation of confiscated or injured species for future release, as well as an educational support system for the surrounding communities.

Our Center also serves as a research facility for Amazonian wildlife, with the goal of creating alliances with future generations
through our after-school programs, allowing them to continue on protecting the local environment and existing
wildlife populations.

💼 What the programme involves

This internship is aimed at professionals or students of any career related with Biology, Zoology, Animal Sciences, Animal Care and
Husbandry or Wildlife Conservation. You can use this internship to improve your resume, better your skills and practical
experience. We recommend a longer stay for the best experience, there are also discounts for longer stays. The participants of
this program, in addition to participating in all animal welfare activities, are guided by our professionals to obtain specific
objectives or complete projects that are required to accomplish their professional goals.
● Assist in animal welfare in all the areas
● Learn about conservation plans for each resident and support in the process
● Learn how to plan and implement of enrichment programs for animals
● Learn about preparation of feeding, monitoring of growth, eating and behaviour of the animal to detect any incidents
● Practice about animal care for adult animals, new arrivals in quarantine and offsprings in nursery.
● Support in the rehabilitation process, some animals may be taken from their enclosures for exercise and to practice
wild behaviours, this activity is done under staff supervision.
● Activities in wildlife conservation and biology sciences, like:
o Support in the bat diversity project
o Support in making the bird, amphibian and reptile catalogues through surveying
o Learn about wildlife monitoring and local species
o Preparing plots and transects with GPS and compass
o Extra activities including making butterfly nets, culture BSF larvae, analysing camera trap data
o Support in the camera traps project goals
o Support in the pollinator project to support native bee and butterfly populations.
● Learn about wildlife rehabilitation conservation plans for each resident and support in the process
● Learn how to plan and implement of enrichment programs for animals.
● Learn about preparation of feeding, monitoring of growth, eating and behaviour of the animal to detect any incidents
● Support in the rehabilitation process, some animals may be taken from their enclosures for exercise and to practice
wild behaviours, this activity is done under staff supervision.
● Support in the animal’s treatment, assistance in the administration of medicines and monitoring of animal health
● Lectures about conservation and animal care / specialised lectures about health care, conservation programs, medical
protocols, clinical cases, south-American species, etc.
● Dart practice and other contention techniques, learn and develop physical contention skills, workshops as blood
draws and others, to make data analysis.
● Go on rounds to see and treat animal patients, provide assistance to any sick or injured animal.
● Learn to plan and prepare educational sessions about conservation for staff and other volunteers at RAREC.
● Choose a project to develop in your stay and professional guide in the process.
● Undertake rescue operations of neglected and abused wildlife and to provide emergency medical treatment, and
long-term care and rehabilitation.
● Exchange knowledge about wildlife conservation and contribute to research in the Amazon
Wildlife Conservation Projects (60%):
Contributions to conservation-focused initiatives, such as, developing catalogues, tracking animal movements,
collecting data on biodiversity, assisting with species specific research initiatives, contributing to research reports,
assisting in publishing findings, and using software tools for mapping and statistical analysis.
Specialized Lectures and workshops (20%):
Interactive sessions on wildlife conservation, biology and amazonian species. Workshops may cover contention
techniques, enrichment, behaviour monitoring and ethograms, and monitoring rehabilitation progress.
Husbandry (20%):
Tasks focus on daily care of captive wildlife, including feeding, enclosure cleaning, enrichment activities, and
monitoring animal behaviour in all the areas.

🏠 Accommodation on site

ALL OUR PROGRAMS INCLUDE:
● Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). You must confirm if you have any special diet such as vegan, vegetarian,
or food allergies before arrival. Please check our Travel Guide document to see details about included food.
● Very quiet work environment to perform daily activities and relax and study at night.
● Outdoor recreation room with fan, hammocks, movie projector, board games.
● Indoor dining room with a free use kitchen, refrigerator for personal food and drinks, coffee maker and
microwave.
● Laundry room, please check our Travel Guide document to see details about what you need to bring.
● Wi-Fi in volunteers and staff areas. The internet signal in the recreation areas is not strong but we have
Internet connection in the study area that has a strong connection any time of the day.
● Each volunteer will be provided with RAREC t-shirts and rain boots for their stay.
● Pick up and drop off in Iquitos Airport (just for stays from 1 week or more)
● One boat ride on the Amazon River to see river dolphins (just for stays from 1 week or more).
● RAREC provides immediate transportation to a medical center if needed, medical expenses are the
responsibility of the participant.
● Guidance and advice of the Volunteer Coordinator for your extra activities or tours on your days-off. If your
group wants the Volunteer Coordinator to accompany you outside RAREC, they have to cover their expenses
(transport, entrance fees and food).
● Shared room (rooms of 4 people, 6 and 10 people, depending on availability)
with individual beds and bunk beds, A/C and mosquito net in windows and beds.
● Electricity all day in all rooms.
● Shared bathrooms outside rooms.
● Very quiet terrace to relax in the hammocks with view of the manatee lake
● Wi-Fi in the bedrooms and common area of the villas
● Warm showers
● Electricity all day in all rooms
● A/C in every bedroom

📍 About the location

Iquitos is the only city in Peru where you can see the
Amazon River. The city is located in the heart of the
Amazonian rainforest, in the Northeastern zone of
Peru, and it is the largest city in the world
inaccessible by road; the only way to travel to Iquitos
is either by air or by boat.
RAREC is based on an area of 80 hectares (160
acres), located on the Iquitos-Nauta Road, 47 Km (29
miles) from the city of Iquitos, Perú.
The city of Iquitos is the largest population center in
the area. Iquitos has an airport and is exactly one
and a half hours from the city of Lima (via airplane).
RAREC is one hour from the city of Iquitos (by car) via
the only highway that exists in the area. We have
built comfortable accommodations to stay in while at
the same time being completely surrounded by the
jungle and its sounds. The jungle experience for
visitors is guaranteed.

⚠️ Requirements

Conditions required:
• No specific experience necessary, but good team working skills are necessary
• An interest in wildlife conservation, capable of following rules for animals’ wellbeing
• ≥18 years old (Under 18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult)
• Physically and mentally healthy and able to do physical activity in humid environment.
• Medical insurance
• Can be booked from 1 night to more

🤝 Meeting point

To get to the project, you must take a flight to the airport in Lima, then another flight to the city of Iquitos. The organization will pick up the volunteers at the airport in Iquitos only on Mondays at 7:30 am.
If the volunteer arrives in another time it is recommended to book a hotel night in Iquitos, and they will pick you the volunteers in the hotel at 8 - 9 am.
From Iquitos airport to the project site is one hour drive.
Departures:
RAREC's private transportation, can take volunteers to the airport only at the following times:
On Mondays:
DEPARTURE FROM RAREC 6:15 AM - ARRIVAL TO AIRPORT 7:15 AM
On Sundays:
DEPARTURE FROM RAREC 10:30 AM - ARRIVAL TO AIRPORT 11:30 AM
If the volunteer decides to take another flight that is not at that time, we recommend to pay a safe cab (the organization can help contacting the cab).

ℹ️ Additional information

What is included in the programs:
• All programs include the transportation outside RAREC in case
we carry out activities related to the program such as rescues, veterinary care, etc.
• The stays of at least one week, include the ride to the Amazon River in a boat to
see pink dolphins, which takes place once in your stay.
• RAREC provides immediate transportation to a medical center in the event of the
participant's need, medical expenses are the responsibility of the participant.
• Guide and advice of the Volunteer Coordinator in your extra activities or tours, on the daysoff.
What is not included:
• International flight tickets to or from Iquitos.
• Transportation outside RAREC in case of personal affairs or purchases, and days-off.
Wi-Fi Signal:
Our main objective is the education about conservation and the connection of the participant with
the environment and friends while we are here, so our internet signal fulfills the most basic purpose
of allowing us to send and receive messages via the most popular networks and social media, in the
common areas. It is a little more complex to send images, videos or documents.
For study and work purpose we have Starlink connection in the study area, where you can access
free any time of the day, in order to do work that need an stronger internet connection.
We advise you not to stress about this technological detail and that you enjoy the incomparable
time of connection with nature and other conservationists like you.
The confirmation of your reservation ensures your spot until you make your second deposit. After
second deposit we will send you the Registration Certificate.
You have the possibility to reprogram your dates until December 2025 with no additional costs. Our
main aim is for you to be able to attend your program in a safe and convenient manner so the
registration in advance allows free and unlimited date changes (depending on availability) if any
event prevents you from attending your planned trip. If for any reason, you cannot come until
December 2025. You can reprogram later just paying the rate difference in that year.
Initial Dates: Mondays
Fee per night (less than 7 nights): US$ 75
Fee per night Total Fee:
USD $
1 week (7 nights) :70$ (per night) 490$ (total fee)
3 weeks (21 days): 68$ (per night) 1428$ (total fee)
4 weeks (28 nights): 66$ (per night) 1848$ (total fee)
5 weeks (35 nights): 65$ (per night) 2275$ (total fee)
6 weeks (42 nights): 64$ (per night) 2688$ (total fee)
7 weeks (49 nights): 62$ (per night) 3038$ (total fee)
8 weeks (56 nights): 60$ (per night) 3360$ (total fee)
9 weeks (63 nights): 58$ (per night) 3654$ (total fee)
10 weeks (70 nights): 56$ (per night) 3920$ (total fee)
11weeks (77 nights): 57$ (per night) 4158$ (total fee)
12 weeks (84 nights): 52$ (per night) 4368$ (total fee)