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Sloth conservation

Project name:

The Sloth Institute

Project purpose:

The Sloth Institute, located in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, focuses on the research, education and release of hand-raised and injured sloths back to the rainforest.

Project activities:

  • animal rehabilitation

  • data collection/analysis

Terrestrial

Costa Rica

Central America

Forest
average rating is 5 out of 5, based on 1 votes, Ratings

1

Weekly cost (approx USD):

$

Direct benefits you gain:

  • field research skills

Noteworthy conservation points:

  • ethical rehabilitation centre/practices

Wild Sun Rescue Center

Accommodation:

tent

When does the project run?

All year

Facilities:

accommodation included, food included, cooking facilities, electricity, local shops, nearby medical facilities, refillable drinking water, shower (hot), toilet (western), wifi

How long can I stay?

3 months internship

Requirements:

  • All applicants must be physically fit, healthy, have field research experience, behavioral research experience (requires patience!)

  • Excellent communication skills

  • Strong interest in animal welfare and conservation

  • Must be non-smoker. 

  • Coursework or experience in zoology, environmental education, wildlife ecology, or a related field is required. 

Desirable to have the following experience:

  • Experience traveling to a tropical country and living in rainforest conditions are a plus.

  • Spanish language skills and experience working with VHF tracking technology are strongly considered.

  • Must complete required vaccinations and purchase current international health insurance prior to arrival in Costa Rica.

Details of the day-to-day life on the project:

Interns at this project (Sloth Technicians), perform night field work, tracking sloths with radio collars and doing behavioural observations.


The Sloth Technician absolutely must have the ability to work long days (9+ hours) with very little time off (1 day per week). In addition, because most of this work will occur at night, this person will need to be able to basically become nocturnal. This person must be extremely dedicated to sloth conservation and willing to forgo personal comfort for the benefit of the animals. You will be hot, sweaty, wet, cold, eaten by mosquitos, sleepy, sore, and tired but you'll still feel that there is no other place in the world that you would rather be than watching sloths in the jungle. This is rigorous fieldwork with limited hands on interactions with sloths

Duties:
• Conduct behavioral monitoring at night in the rainforest.
• Daily Data Entry
• Using VHF radio telemetry
• Preparing food/collecting wild food items for sloths
• Feeding, cleaning and enriching sloth cages
• Assist in opportunistic capture, sample collection and release of sloths



Reviews & ratings

Francisco

Volunteer

19 Dec 2021

An amazing project with amazing staff

average rating is 5 out of 5

I work as a travel agent, bringing volunteers to DAKTARI and other projects around the world. After helping a lot of volunteers fulfill their dreams of coming to South Africa, I managed to arrange 2 weeks to spend at the project. What a wonderful time I had starting with the staff who are so friendly and polite, the animals being taken care of as if they were family and the amazing food that was prepared catering to each of the volunteers individual needs. I can only say that if you are looking for an unique and quality experience involving a well thought out educational program and the preservation of native animal species, this is the one for you.

true

Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage

leslie

Volunteer

19 Dec 2021

great experience

average rating is 4 out of 5

i had an enjoyable stay here in DAKTARI. be surrounded by wild animals is a chance and i also loved the teaching part of my stay

true

Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage

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