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Volunteer with Monkeys – Project details

The project started back in 1994 with the arrival of Cristobal, a male wooly monkey of 8 months. During the year 1996 the project requested authorization at the Agricultural and Livestock Service of the Chilean government to create a center to shelter primates seized by the authorities. At the beginning the idea was to recover the monkeys, to rehabilitate them and, when possible, to return them to their natural habitat. Rapidly, the center realized that this was not going to be realized. Their history in captivity and the trafficking of the monkeys had left them with severe damage. Some of the monkeys have arrived to the Chilean center blind, mutilated, with chronic diseases as hepatic cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, and cardiac diseases. Furthermore, the project rescued monkeys marked by alcohol and drug consumption. Obviously, they will never return to their habitat. From the year 1996 up to the date, the project has received 175 primates of 12 different species (number may vary). The majority of them has recovered physically and behaviorally and most of them will remain in the center for the rest of their lives. The center is not open to the public/tourists because the center wants to make sure the environment for the primates is as recreative as possible.

Responsibilities may be:

● Preparing food for the animals
● Cleaning monkey territory
● Helping with building, repairing, painting
● Gardening
● General maintenance of the center
● Monitoring monkeys’ behavior

Program placements

● Monkey Rescue and Rehabilitation
Center

Participation requirements

– Min. 18 years old
– Spanish skills (A2)
– No special skills required
– Travel insurance
– Min. 2 weeks, max. 24 weeks
– No special vaccination required
– Working hours 30 – 40 hrs/week
– Application min. 4 weeks prior to the start date

Note: Chile is not a natural habitat for monkeys of any species. The monkeys in the center have been trafficed illegally to Chile or have been rescued from zoos, circuses and private households.