Esperanza Verde is a wildlife rescue centre and conservation project based in the Amazon Jungle. In Peru many animal species fall victim to illegal hunting, either for meat or to be sold into the pet trade. Esperanza Verde rescue and rehabilitate animals that have been confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade. Where possible they release animals back into the wild, however sadly this is not possible in all cases. As a result they also provide permanent homes to animals deemed unfit for release.
Esperanza Verde was started by Olivia Conrads and Douwe Bakker in 2010. A few years later they became officially recognised as a Peruvian wildlife rescue centre. They are now home to around 200 animals, some resident, some awaiting release and others living in semi-captivity. These animals include woolly monkeys, spider monkeys, squirrel monkeys, tamarin monkeys, night monkeys, capuchins, sloths, kinkajous, and peccaries, as well as an array of birds and reptiles. In past year they have released over 400 animals back into the wild!
Responsibilities
- Veterinary Responsibility for all the animals under the care of Esperanza Verde
- Administering regular medication
- Performing emergency procedures
- Performing surgical procedures
- Managing animals that have any abnormal symptoms
- Monitoring the health and behaviour of all animals and administering treatment when necessary
- Managing the Veterinary Clinic
- Overseeing the organisation of the clinic
- Coordinating the volunteers working at the clinic
- Keeping files up-to-date: registering all new animals and updating the records of the existing animals
- Keeping the inventory up-to-date and alerting the wider team when materials or medications are low
- Quarantine Responsibility
- Completing full health checks and implementing care plans for all new arrivals
- Prophylactic Monitoring
- Planning and implementing routine prophylactic procedures (such as deworming, deparasitation etc.)
- Assisting with the outreach program
- Neutering domesticated animals in the local villages when required
Learning Opportunities:
Experience handling and treating exotic wildlife, both in captivity and in their natural environment
Requirements
- 12 Month minimum commitment
- Must have at least 2 years clinical experience
- Must speak English fluently (basic Spanish would also be desirable)
- Must be in good physical and mental health
- Must be able to live in a remote and isolated place (previous experience of living in a rainforest region desirable)
Esperanza Verde will provide
- Accommodation
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinners and snacks)
Not included
- Return Flights
- Other transport
- Insurance
- Other personal expenses
Working Hours:
The core working hours are 5 days a week 07:30 – 16:30
However there will be responsibilities that fall outside of the core hours, so any candidate would be expected to have a flexible work approach
The country this project is based in is listed as a high risk of Zika virus on the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) website. Please follow the advice on their website when considering participating in this project.
- Itinerary
- Accommodation
- Location
- Requirements
- Notes
Itinerary
Working Hours
- The core working hours are 5 days a week 07:30 – 16:30
- However there will be responsibilities that fall outside of the core hours, so any candidate would be expected to have a flexible work approach
Accommodation
- Accommodation
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinners and snacks)
Requirements
Needs to be a fully qualified vet with 2 years clinical experience.
Speaking Spanish is not a requirement (but speaking English is a must, as this is the common language at the project.) Obviously if you do speak Spanish that would be a big plus!
Important Notes
Included
Not Included
What to pack
Volunteers should take practical / comfortable clothes to work in e.g (scrubs). If you would like to purchase a WVS scrub top please contact the office or visit our online shop.
- Practical / comfortable clothes to work in (eg. scrubs)
- Wet weather gear and warm clothing for the evenings
- Towel
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Ear plugs and eye mask
- Headlamp
- Toiletries
- Prescriptions & over-the-counter medication (eg. Imodium, Paracetemol etc)
The project may be extremely short on certain supplies and would likely be very grateful for donations. Please get in touch with us to find out if there is anything in particular that would be helpful to bring with you. If you have any spare room in your bag on the outbound flight, it would be highly appreciated if you are able to bring some spare supplies to use during your trip. This is at your discretion and entirely optional.
Travel Insurance
It is essential that you obtain comprehensive travel insurance for this project which also covers you for veterinary work. We recommend Go Walkabout who offer tailor made travel insurance policies for WVS volunteers. Please note that fully paid members of WVS also receive a 10% discount on Go Walkabout policies.
Health & Vaccinations
This information should be used as a guide only. For up to date information on immunisations please consult your doctor. You will need to allow plenty of time before travelling for your immunisations to be effective. DO NOT LEAVE THIS UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE. As you will be working with animals the Rabies and Tetanus vaccines are essential. We have provided links below to websites with useful information on immunisations and travel advice which we highly recommend that you visit.
- www.fco.gov.uk - Website of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for travel advice generally and specifically by Country.
- www.lonelyplanet.com - For help travel advice
- www.nathnac.org - Useful information on immunisations required for travel
- www.mdtravelhealth.com - Helpful travel advice website, updated daily.
Visas
UK passport holders are required to obtain a visa before travelling. Please visit the Foreign Commonwealth Office website for further details: www.fco.gov.uk. All WVS volunteers are required to organise their own visas.
Trip dates
There are trip dates available throughout the year. Please speak to a member of the team on +44 (0)1725 557225.
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