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Wild Sun Rescue Center

 
 
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Saving wildlife in the Nicoya peninsula

Wild Sun Rescue Center is a non-profit organization located in Cabuya, Costa Rica. We are not only dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of our local wildlife but also to finding solutions to the problems they are facing.

Everyday we treat sick, injured and orphaned animals who are affected by various threats such as electrocution, dog and cat attacks, deforestation and illegal pet trade.  Our primary goal is to release each animal back to the wild.

We complement our rescue and release with education and conservation, amplifying our efforts through the community at large.  Our internships and vet and pre-vet externships allow us to inspire and have a greater impact.  

Join us - Volunteer or Donate!  Intern or Extern!  It will take all of us to reverse the damage that has occurred to our ecosystem and one way to make a difference is by supporting projects like ours. Be the change!

 

 
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Internship

Biology & Conservation

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Conservation Efforts

species reintroduction & education

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Externship

Vet & Pre-vet

 
 

Rescue. Rehabilitate. Release.

 
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Wild Sun borders the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve.  Cabo Blanco is a pioneer of wildlife and environmental conservation, becoming the first protected area in Costa Rica in 1963. Situated on the extreme southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, it protects 1,788 hectares of ocean and 1,270 hectares of tropical forest where endangered animal species find refuge.

Until now, 150 species of trees and 240 species of birds have been recorded in Cabo Blanco, making it an important sanctuary for wildlife.
Many valuable species have been extirpated (locally extinct) from this region including the Jaguar, 2 and 3-Toed Sloth, Spider Monkey and Scarlet Macaw.  Help us fight to bring them back!

 

Located in Cabuya, Costa Rica

 
 

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FEEDING TIME Our volunteers feed the howler monkeys four times a day with fruits and vegetables. Also with tree leaves, their essential source of food in the wild. Records of feedding behaviours are crucial for the rehabiltation process. Nuestros voluntarios alimentan a los monos aulladores 3 veces al día con furtas y vegetales. Por supuesto, con hojas también, su principal fuente de alimento en libertad. La recogida de información sobre el comportamiento alimenticio de cada individuo es crucial para el proceso de rehabilitación. By @alejosabugo #wildlife #monkeys #rescuecenter #costarica #nicoya #volunteer #howlermonkeys #rehabilitation #primates #alouatta #santateresa
Contract signed, permits granted, macaws microchipped, enclosures set... just waiting for our new arrivals 😏 Thank you to everyone who has helped us get the scarlet macaw program off the ground! The birds will be here SOON!!! Photos by Alejo Sabugo
Diddy, our youngest Howler monkey is about 5 months old now! Once abandoned by his troupe, he’s now having a successful rehabilitation and is growing bigger and stronger every day. Howler monkeys are thought to be one of the loudest animals on earth. Their calls can be heard from up to 3 miles in dense jungle. At his current size, it’s a little difficult to imagine Diddy howling so loudly! Once he reaches sexual maturity he’ll be ready to be released and his howls will be heard throughout the Nicoya peninsula. If you’d like to help us support Diddy and our other rescues receive the care that they need, please check out our patreon campaign to make a donation: www.patreon.com/wildsunrescue #rescuerehabilitaterelease #wildliferescue #wildliferehab #howlermonkey #alouattapalliata By Sarina Haik
Meet Fern, a Northern Tamandua (anteater)! A Tamandua’s diet consists of ants and termites which it eats by using its unusually long and sticky tongue. They are an arboreal species so they love searching for food in trees using their prehensile tail to grip while they climb. 🐜👅🌳 Fern was found being attacked by dogs in Santa Teresa. She is also missing an eye from a previous injury. Thankfully she was rescued just in time and her injuries weren’t too major, but she was extremely dehydrated and needed to be treated with antibiotics. We’re pleased to say that she is almost done with her treatment and we will release her soon! Here she is enjoying a delicious termite nest that we collect for her daily. To help local wildlife like Fern receive the care that they need, please donate to: www.patreon.com/WildSunRescue Post/photo by Sarina Haik 📷🎙
What a year it was here at Wild Sun! In 2018, we rescued 99 animals. We built new enclosures. We built a Scarlet Macaw breeding center and received permits for our reintroduction project. We hired 2 AMAZING managers (Carmen and Ezra). We built a new volunteer dorm. We increased our volunteerism from sporadic volunteers to an average of 11 per week of mostly full-term-12-week volunteers. And we know that we have our generous supporters to thank for making all this possible. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered, donated, and supported us in various ways this year - together we’re making an incredible difference in conservation! Here’s to an even better year ahead. 🐒 If you’d like to support our cause, visit www.patreon.com/wildsunrescue (link also in bio). Cheers to 2019! 🦋 Post by Jeremy Photo by Ayla Pollman 🌱 #newyear #2019 #success #growth #positiveimpact #wildlife #conservation #wildlifeconservation #wildliferescue #rescuerehabrelease #speciesreintroduction #ecosystem #health #animalrescue #support #bethechange #thankyou
Here’s a #transformation of our Woolly Opossum, Britney. Look at how much she’s grown since she arrived at Wild Sun Rescue Center in July! The Woolly Opossum is a marsupial and can give birth to anywhere from 1 to 6 “joeys” which females keep inside their pouch until they are fully developed. Britney came in along with her siblings straight out of her mother’s pouch after she was attacked by a dog. She was the sole survivor of her siblings and had to be delicately tube fed until she was old enough to eat solid foods. Thanks to the efforts of all of our staff and volunteers she was just successfully released last week and is now free to roam as she pleases. Thank you to all of our supporters for aiding us in another successful release! This wouldn’t be possible without all of your support. To help other animals like Britney get the medical care they need please visit our patreon campaign: www.patreon.com/WildSunRescue #wildliferescue #conservation #itsbritneybitch #rescuerehabrelease #woollyopossum #caluromysderbianus #keepwildlifewild Post by Saina Haik Photos by Clayton Stull, Carmen Atwater
What’s black and white and cute all over?? Little Meeko is growing like crazy and has quadrupled in size since she got here! She gets stronger and more adventurous every day 💪 Photo by the amazing @sergioram__ . #wildlife #conservation #wildliferescue #wildliferehabilitation #orphancare #raccoon #cutie #rescuerehabrelease
Little Leo is growing up! As some of you may know, Leo had a rough start here after he lost his mom to electrocution on the power lines. The stress and trauma associated with that event and his successive transition to life as a rescue orphan was very difficult for Leo, causing him to reject food for quite some time. Luckily though, after months of force feeding and delicate care, Leo’s physical and emotional condition improved, and he is now a happy and healthy monkey! He gets along well with the other howlers in his enclosure, and they’ll be released together as a troop once they reach sexual maturity! If you’d like to support orphans like Leo and give them a fighting chance at life, become a monthly donor at www.patreon.com/WildSunRescue! #wildliferescue #howlermonkey #alouattapalliata #rescuerehabrelease #primateconservation #wildlifeconservation #monkeysarenotpets #keepwildlifewild Photo by @carm_atwater
A little throwback to our smallest patient ever, weighing in at just 1 gram!! A very speedy rescue, rehab, and release! 🐭
Meet Surfboard! This little guy was accidentally hit with a machete while someone was cutting their grass, taking a chunk out of his shell. Luckily, we were able to find some fiberglass to repair the hole, and our friend Guillermo from @nicoya_surf_school came to help us out with his fiberglass expertise! Thank you to Sergio, the amazing wildlife vet, and Guillermo, the surf instructor-turned turtle shell repair man, for working together to pull this off. Surfboard the turtle is in good hands and can get to healing now! #wildlife #conservation #wildliferescue #turtlerehab #turtleshellrepair #collaboration #surfing #wildliferehab #friendshelpingfriends #rescuerehabrelease #turtleturtle
“My time at Wild Sun Rescue Center was a life-changing experience that makes it hard to articulate into words. Before my time at WSRC, I was vaguely familiar with wildlife conservation and rehabilitation. I spent four weeks at the center caring, feeding, and learning about the animals, mainly primates, at the center. Everyday, I woke up to a new experience, learning more about rehabilitation and conservation of local animals. I left WSRC with new knowledge, skills, and best of all - friendships. The animals will always have a special place in my heart and with my acquired knowledge, I can now advocate better for them. My four weeks at the center felt entirely too brief, and I would encourage anyone to go if the chance arises. Last of all, pura vida!” -Katlyn Marshall, 2018 Thank you, Katlyn, for all your hard work and dedication to our mission! It was a pleasure having you here. Our work would not be possible without each one of our amazing volunteers and interns! 🌺 If you’re interested in joining our team, check out our website at www.wildsunrescue.org. To support our cause with a monthly donation, visit www.patreon.com/wildsunrescue. Thank you all for your continued support! 🌞
Meet Meeko, the newest patient at Wild Sun Rescue. Meeko is a raccoon pup that fell from the nest as a newborn and wasn’t retrieved by mom. She’s getting ‘round the clock care by our volunteers and staff - it’s amazing how something so little needs so much attention! We’re expecting her eyes to open any day now 👀 #wildliferehab #rescuerehabrelease #northernraccoon #procyonlotor #keepwildlifewild #wildliferescue #wildlifeconservation 📷: @carm_atwater