Wildlife program in Costa Rica

Name: Wildlife program in Costa Rica
Start: 2026-02-10
End: 2028-08-31
Location: Costa Rica

Code: d5165137-05a3-11f1-8b4c-fa163ef8d720 Copied

Costa Rica Youth activities Environment Youth activities Environment Permanent

About the project

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

INLEX was founded by former Peace Corps staff in Guatemala in 2005 who wanted to provide flexible volunteer programs in Central America. This flexibility allows our participants the option to commit for as long as they want in the area they are best suited to support; creating a positive impact and a rewarding experience.

We do this because we believe in the principle that every amount of help can make a difference.Many years and happy people later, we continue working with key partner projects to develop strong communities. When you apply to one of our programs you are making a step towards more sustainable communities, local programs and authentic experiences.
Integrated Learning Experiences’ (INLEX) mission is to strengthen human resources through volunteer programs, educational travel and internship opportunities in Latin America and the world. In addition to this, INLEX provides opportunities for students and professionals to further gain experience in their field of choice by matching participants with the best opening available.

We work towards:
-Sustainability in the projects and communities that we work in.
-Programs that promote cultural exchange.
-Safe and affordable volunteer and intern programs. -
Strengthening and empowering communities.
-Authentic experiences.
-Facilitating education.

💼 What the programme involves

Costa Rica is famous for its rich biodiversity. Many people from around the world come to Costa Rica to experience its lush rainforests and exotic wildlife.Costa Rica is one of the more biodiversity-dense countries in the world and it is home to more than 500,000 species, which represents nearly 4% of the total estimated species worldwide.

Development, agriculture, illegal exotic animal trade, and contamination affect many wildlife species that are under constant threat. Volunteers in the wildlife program in Costa Rica work in animal rescue centers aimed at helping endangered species. People that like being outdoors and love working with wild animals are a great fit for this project.

Possible tasks:
-Food preparation for the animals(chopping food, cooking, etc).
-Cleaning animal cages.
-Feeding animals.
-Cleaning the vivarium.
-Trail maintenance.
-Help in gardening tasks.
-Trail guiding and assistance to visitors.
-Making educational material for schools, universities, and groups.
-Help in environmental education workshops for schools.

Volunteers with veterinary or zoology education can also help in other tasks and more hands-on work with animals.

Schedule: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Tuesday to Saturday.

🏠 Accommodation on site

Host family accommodation with two meals per day or shared hostel accommodation with access to a kitchen (depending on availability and request).

📍 About the location

Location: Various wildlife reserves around Costa Rica. Location is disclosed upon application and in placement details.

⚠️ Requirements

Participant requirements:
All participants must be 18 years or older when starting the program and must submit the following documents:

-Application form
-Copy of resume or a summary of experience.
-Copy of passport.
-Proof of adequate medical travel insurance.

Volunteers working with children must submit a background check.

🤝 Meeting point

Before booking a flight please make sure to get it for the right date and place. Free pickup is included most Sundays from 8am-10pm. If a participant can’t make it on specified dates, a $75 fee is added to the program to cover extra transportation and private orientation. Please ask for a list of available start dates.

Airport pickup is included in San Jose airport,(Juan Santa Maria airport Code: SJO) and nearby hotels. Alternatively, participants can meet with coordinators in your host community.
Please note that if you arrive later(planned or by delay) than 10 pm you might be asked to pay for a hostel/hotel for the first night.

ℹ️ Additional information

Availability: Year-long. This project attracts an extra weekly fee, see pricing for more details.
Program Duration:4-24 weeks

All individual programs include:

Welcome at the airport and transport to accommodation.
On-call support from in-country staff and emergency assistance 24/7.
Program and project orientation.
Host family accommodation with two meals per day or shared hostel accommodation with access to a kitchen(depending on availability and request)
Project placement.
Certificate of program completion

Programs do not include:
Flight to and from destination
Laundry services
Transport to the airport and daily transport.
Immunizations(if needed)
Visa or related fees.