Day Two: Cahuita

Our hike through Cahuita National Park was a wonderful introduction to the expansive wildlife found in Costa Rica, however, there were a few species we were desperate to see, most notably, a sloth.  On our second and final day in Cahuita, we scheduled a private tour of the Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo.  The center is a facility specializing in the care and conservation of local wildlife who have been abandoned, injured, or are victims of forced relocation.  

In 2004, founders Encar and Sandro opened the center as a rescue for reptiles and has continued to grow into a rehabilitating refuge.  Numerous species suffer from the perpetual development of this tourist destination and have not adapted to the ever-changing environment - struggling to survive, many are displaced after losing their habitat.  Often, monkeys are the victims of the new environmental constructs and mistake power lines as branches or vines and are electrocuted.  Several of the species taking shelter at Jaguar Rescue Center were found alongside the road, on farms, in the forest, or are brought to the facility by a concerned individual.  The center has a staff composed of local and international volunteers, all of which contribute to the daily care and rehabilitation of the animals.  The continued support and maintenance of this sanctuary is dependent on donations and tours.

There are two types of tours offered here, a regularly guided tour and a private tour.  The guided tour takes approximately an hour and a half and the admission/donation will set you back $15 (Monday-Friday 9:30-11:30).  The private tour is offered in English, Spanish, Dutch, and German - requires a reservation and costs $50 (Monday-Friday 8:00 and 14:00, reservation at least 24 hours in advance).  Traveling to Costa Rica is expensive and the extra $35 per admission pales in comparison to the money spent on the flight and accommodations.  The two and a half hour experience not only justifies the donation, it will easily top the list of memories while visiting Costa Rica.

The drive from our hotel was quick, passing through Puerto Viejo along the way.  The main street of this quaint town is lined with restaurants, hotels, souvenir shops, and lots and lots of people - tourist and locals alike.  The main strip is sandwiched by black sand beaches teeming with beach-goers, surfers, tourist, and even some wild horses.  A few minutes after Puerto Viejo a sign on our right indicated we were close to the Jaguar Rescue Center.

When we arrived, the center was closing to the public and we were soon greeted by Dexter, our tour guide for the afternoon.  After welcoming us, he started with the story of how the center came to be, how long he has worked there, and spoke of their continued mission.  The tour started with terrariums housing numerous varieties of venomous and non-venomous snakes.  Here, we learned that the eyelash viper we encountered the day before was just one of many varieties found in the area.

Eyelash Viper

Another Eyelash Viper

Around the corner we came to the other side of the main building, the area where the volunteers had gathered to delineate their closing duties.  This hub was a total sensory overload, there were animals all around us - a toucan flapping about, parrots fluttering ahead, and a one-week old foal and her mother off to the side.

Chestnut-mandibled Toucan 

White Crowned Parrot

Our guide walked us through the entire facility, pinpointing species we would have never noticed, specifically, tree frogs and poison dart frogs.  These amphibians were either too small or effectively camouflaged for the untrained eye to locate - hiding under palms or disguised in the detritus.

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Green and Black Poison Dart Frog

As we progressed, Dexter would periodically stop to describe the wildlife, how they care for the species, and the story of how they arrived at the center.  Not all of the animals had stories, however, they had all suffered a tragedy that resulted in their stay at the center.  There was a keel-billed toucan who will never be released due to an unknown injury that broke the tip of his beak - a tool required for survival in the wild.  Many birds of prey had suffered at the hands of framers who harass these animals if they feel their crops or livestock are threatened.  An owl win a lone eye, a falcon with a broken wing, and others that had been abandoned when their parents fled the nest after deforestation.  These animals that would otherwise have no chance of survival in the wild have found sanctuary at the Jaguar Rescue Center.  Some may never leave because of impairments that prevent their natural ability to survive, although, others are fortunate enough to recover and one day return to the wild.

We finished the private tour and could have left feeling satisfied, but, there was more than a guided walk-through.  In the time it took us to walk the grounds, the volunteers had completed their duties and had congregated by the main building - only this time three howler monkeys were jumping form volunteer to volunteer.  For a few minutes, we were able to feed the monkeys hibiscus flowers the volunteers had handed us, but we had to move on to our next stop, feeding toucans and sloths.

Black Howler Monkey eating hibiscus

Another Howler Monkey enjoying some hibiscus

Keel-Billed Toucan

Inside the sloth cage

Feeding sloth some hibiscus 

The tour was a continuous crescendo of surprises and they save the best for last.  Before the facility closes for the day, we got to enter the monkey cage, where we bottle fed howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and a white-faced capuchin.  Along with the volunteers, the four of us entered the cage after a briefing, each of us with a bottle of goat's milk in hand.  The Pavlovian frenzy at the sight of the bottles was instantly overwhelming and equally gratifying.  Some monkeys would take turns, but more often than not, the bigger monkeys would reap the benefits of their dominant size.  Of all the "behind the scenes" experiences on the tour, this is easily the most memorable.  Encar later joined us in our moment of serenity, she thanked us for our visit and our donation.  However, before we left, Dexter had one last surprise for us.

Let the fun begin...

Bottle feeding time

So drunk from all that goat's milk

Time to look for fleas and ticks

Seemingly pensive White-Faced Capuchin

Howler Monkey

Spider Monkey

Howler and Capuchin at the feeding area

After a few minutes, Dexter returned with a blanket in his arms - from a distance, we had no idea what he was carrying.  When he came closer, we finally saw the big reveal, he was carrying a baby sloth.  Each of us had a chance to hold the delicate life in our arms, and this unexpected capstone was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Baby Sloth in a warm blanket 

A closer look

 Jaguar Rescue Center Facebook Page