Rescante Wildlife Rescue Center

We went to the Escape Wildlife Rescue Center about a 25 minutes drive from our place. While it kind of looks like a zoo with some habitat friendly enclosures, it really is a rescue center where they rehab as many animals as possible and return them to the wild. Over 90% of all the animals received there are returned. The ones that are enclosed are either injured and wouldn't survive in the wild or are not native to the area. Many of the ones kept at the reserve were once exotic pets who wouldn't know how to survive or were treated poorly. Some of the animals came from Costa Rican zoos that were forced to close a few years ago. The zoos were inhumane keeping animals in small cages and not in habitats. There are no longer any zoos in Costa Rica. We had a tour guide (3 hours) who was extremely knowledgeable in both plants (plant biology degree) and the animals. This is a private facility and they get little money from the government so tours and donations are very important to them. There were three others on the tour with us - a lady from Vermont, and two from Montreal. We all are lunch together at the center's restaurant.Read more