Visiting Jaguar Rescue Center in Costa Rica
Relaxing at the Caribbean beaches of Costa Rica, I also did a couple of crazy things to kill the boredom. Rafting on Pacuare river was a funny day, but visiting Jaguar Rescue Center was a cool open-eye experience which is necessary from time to time.
I am an animal lover, you probably know it just from many animal photos on my blog. Except insects, all the other animals are so stunning to me that I would love to hug them all! So when I got a chance to visit Jaguar Rescue Center, I didn’t think twice about it.
One morning I took a bicycle and cycled from Congo Bongo Beach Rental Houses in Manzanillo to Jaguar at Playa Chiquita to get there at 9.15 am (the first tour starts at 9.30 am, the second tour at 11.30 am). They made groups of us, the visitors, and each group started the visit with its tour guide. The guides are volunteers which I loved because they enjoy working with the animals and it is so nice to see their entusiasm.
There I learned that Jaguar Rescue Center is run by Sandro and Encar since 2008. It is an animal rescue center as the name says, which means they take injured or mistreated animals and take care of them until they are healthy enough to get back to their natural habitat. Unfortunately, some of the animals get there in such a bad condition they would never survive back in the wild (such as the bigger toucan they have).
an injured toucan in Jaguar Rescue Center
During our visit we saw a lot of different animals, such as wild cats, sloths, anteaters, amphibians, monkeys, birds, alligtors, raptiles. All the animals get names (there are Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie monkeys). The visitors are not allowed to touch the animals, apart from the monkeys which are used to people. Obviously, you need to follow some rules to enter. The baby monkeys stay away from the visitors.
an alligator
a wild cat
a deer
In Jaguar Rescue Center you will learn more about all the animals they have, what happened to them, what kind of cure they get and also more about those animals in real life in the wild. Trust me, it is a very useful information, especially about the snakes as a big part of Costa Rica is wild jungle where many poisonous snakes live. In Jaguar Center they also teach local people, including children, how to treat animals, not to kill them and how to take care of them.
a sloth
a red eye leaf frog
a hawk
I have heard some people don’t like the idea of Jaguar Rescue Center because of the direct contact of the animals with people as most of those animals are wild, but I think this perception is completely wrong. All these animals would die if no one took care of them. Some of them are not able to get food by themselves or move/fly/walk properly.
I was really happy to visit Jaguar Rescue Center. Some of the animals, such as little slots and monkeys gave me so much inner strength and tears of happiness in my eyes.
an opossum in Jaguar Rescue Center
a baby monkey Nerea
a pitviper
a little monkey
a baby wild cat Brigitte
photo credits: the last 5 photos were provided by Jaguar Rescue Center, all the rest by crazy sexy fun traveler
My visit to Jaguar Rescue Center was part of a press trip. All thoughts in this article are my own.
Crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ Nicole @ Suitcase Stories:
You will love the Jaguar center, Nicole. And the rest of Costa Rica too. I didn’t expect much of it but enjoyed it!
Nicole @ Suitcase Stories
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I am so glad I came across this post. We are heading to CR in a month and I hadn’t heard of this center before. We will definitely put this on the agenda now.
Now Im off to read any other posts you have on CR to help prepare for our trip :) Thanks in advance!
crazy sexy fun travelerc
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Comment@ Sonia:
Haha Sonia, I loved it!
Sonia
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A wild cat looks more like a cute-cute-cute cat! :)
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ Michelle:
Michelle, I so love slots too! I almost cried when I saw them from so close :)
Michelle
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I’m so jealous you got to meet a sloth in person! They are my favorite!!
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ Callie:
Thank you! All the little animals are cute to me :)
Callie
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These photos are SO CUTE!! What a great place to visit :)
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ Lindsay:
So jealous! You will love Costa Rica, enjoy ;)
Lindsay
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Wow this looks amazing! I leave for Costa Rica on Sunday! Looks like you had an awesome time!