Jaguar Rescue Center

A trip to Puerto Viejo wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Jaguar Rescue Center.  It's about 5km from town, or about 15 minutes on the beach cruiser.  The center unofficially kicked off 9 years ago, when an injured jaguar was brought to the house of a couple who were known to be biologists.  That first animal unfortunately did not survive his injuries, however, the couple vowed to continue helping injured jungle animals found around the community.

Throughout the years, they were forced to build larger habitat structures, as more and more injured animals were taken in.  In 2008 the JRC was officially opened.  The operation is not for profit, and survives from donations, a HUGE amount of volunteer work, and donations from visitors.  Entrance fee for a 90 minute tour is $15.  There are two tours each day, and self-guided visits are not permitted.

This is not a zoo.  Animals arrive here injured in some way that would make survival in the wild impossible.  Rehabilitation is attempted with the ultimate goal of reintroducing them back into the wild.  Every day animals who are well enough are taken into the jungle for a couple of hours.  Most come back, but sometimes one or two do not.  There are some that stay away in the wild, and others who come back after a few days, weeks, or even months.  The returning animals are checked over for injuries or illness, then continue with the daily jungle walks.

The first sightings of monkeys comes before you step into the center.  Wild monkeys inhabit the area.  Almost like a welcoming committee.  Can't beat free monkeys :)

About 45 people were waiting for the first tour today, so they broke us into four groups.  You can chose a Spanish or English speaking guide -all guides are volunteers.  My tour had a guide that spoke English, Spanish, and German.

As we started the tour, a deer wandered over.  Very friendly chap, but I wasn't quick enough with the camera, and only caught him leaving.

Onto the frog pond.  Frogs lay eggs on the leaves surrounding the pond.  When the eggs hatch, the tadpoles fall into the water to begin their life.

The frogs themselves are well camouflaged.  And poisonous.  They eat poisonous plants, and secret the toxins through their skin.  Look, don't touch.

It was hard to get a picture of this guy.  Never stayed in the same place for more than a split second.  Very playful creature, but that is highly deceptive.  This is a Greater Grison - South/Central America's version of the infamous Honey Badger.  Only one person at the center dares to handle this animal.  And he has the scars to prove it.  Does Honey Badger care?  Honey Badger doesn't give a ....

The Birds

This parrot was a big talker

 This unfortunate toucan had a broken beak and a broken wing.

He will not be leaving the center.

 This toucan is let out for the entire day.

He is free to leave at any time...

...but appears to have too much fun hamming it up for the tourists

A couple of falcons

 And of course the wise old owl (well, actually only 2 yrs old)

There was also a falcon in the trees above

And this odd looking thing.  Didn't ask 

about it, and haven't looked it up.

The Cats

There are just two cats currently at the center, both ocelots.

 Quick like a cat

 It didn't stand there for long.

Back lounging away from the camera within seconds.

This poor girl had suffered from a head injure.  She now occasionally has seizures and appears to suffer from amnesia.  However, she is still taken for walks in the jungle.  Just not left on her own.

Cute & Fuzzy

Onto the monkey cage.  The adult monkeys are either in the trees or segregated.  They aren't "agressive", but they are very defensive.  The young monkeys can also be defensive, but are usually calm and playful as long as they aren't stressed (e.g. loud noises, fast threatening movement).

 One of the volunteers interacting with the monkeys

 They love to sift through long hair

So, in we go.  Some people decided not to enter the habitat.  I braved the cage for my faithful readers.  We had to sign a waiver (well, more like a book with thousands of signatures) agreeing that we won't find the center libel if the monkeys crap on us.  Everyone was warned that wearing glasses is highly discouraged, as they'll be a primary theft target.  And you wouldn't be getting them back.  Two people ignored the warning.  Both had incidents.  The first guy I was able to warn in time.  Didn't see the second one coming, and the lady nearly lost her glasses.

Got a couple of close-up pictures

When I crouched down for a few more, I apparently announced that my head was now a landing pad.  One monkey came from out of nowhere and landed partly on my head and partly on my shoulder.  He grabbed the camera, but I quickly wrestled it back and retired it to my pocket.  No more close-ups :(

We played with the monkeys for about 20 minutes.  Good fun.  Note that this interaction is part of the rehabilitation process.  They don't want these young monkeys growing attached to any single human.  Otherwise, they may mistake them for a parental figure and not want to leave the center.  Agree or not, this process has worked so far.

 One of the youngest members of the center

One of many adult monkeys freely roaming the trees overhead

Then it was onto the sloths.  They have both kinds here.  2-toed and 3-toed.  The difference?  1 toe you idiot.  Come on!  Actually, the 2-toed are typically brown and the 3-toed are typically grey and appear to be smiling broadly all the time.  Sloths do everything slow.  It even takes them three weeks to digest a meal.

 Baby sloth

 I can haz cheezeburger?

WARNING: This is the amphibian section.  If you don't like snakes, please exit the ride here.  Otherwise, hold onto yer butts, here we go.

Small iguana

HUGE iguana.  This guy is about 4 feet long (not including tail), and likely about 60lbs.  It's tail is sharp and used as a weapon.  If you see two of these bad boys going at it, run.  That very thing did happen at the center one day.  Two wild iguanas fell from the trees into the middle of a tour group.  Luckily nobody was injured.

Costa Rican Rattlesnakes are used to synthesize anti-venom for all species of poisonous snakes in Central America.  It is produced in San Jose, and distributed throughout Central America.

The Eyelash Pit Viper.  Yes, it's poisonous too.

 Same type of snake, different colour.

 They even come in yellow

 And like to party.  I counted 11 here.

 The most poisonous snake in Costa Rica is the Bushmaster.  It's the largest pit viper in the world, and one of the largest venomous snakes in the world.  Also arguably one of the top three deadliest snakes in the world.  There have been 7 reported cases of a bushmaster biting a human in Costa Rica.  The only person to survive was very close to a hospital and acted quickly.

They also had two coral snakes (yes, poisonous too), but I was unable to get a decent picture of either.

Poison isn't the only game in town though.  Not to many things top the Boa for intimidation and raw power.  This one is thicker than my neck, and likely about 50 times as strong.

The tour was just over 90 minutes, and we were allowed to wander through the center on our own afterwards.  In all I was there for over 2 hours.  Well worth the price of admission.