Caribbean Wildlife Centre
Location: Near Belize City
Start dates: Every week on a Wednesday
Duration: 2 weeks - 4 weeks
Cost: From £795
How will I make a difference?
By volunteering at this project you will make a major contribution to the welfare of animals in Belize. Your time and efforts will help to care for the animals, and the majority of the programme cost will go direct to the centre providing a vital source of funding for their work.
The centre receives visits from over 15,000 school students each year and there is always a need for passionate and energetic volunteers.
Animal management volunteering in Belize: What will I be doing?
You will normally volunteer for 5 days per week and generally the day will start at 8am and end between 5pm and 6pm. A rota system is followed for the jobs so that the duties are fairly distributed. You are assigned to a zookeeper at the start of each working day and will assist in:
There is also the opportunity for volunteers to experience a night tour of the centre and you may enjoy exciting encounters with a jaguar and harpy eagle as part of their placement.
There are 1-2 volunteers on the animal management role but including the education department role there can be up to 3 volunteers at the project at any one time and you will be working within a larger full time team of staff.
This project can be combined with the Education Department role.
More about the project
Much of Belize's wildlife is the same as that of the Amazon Rainforest. The Caribbean Wildlife Centre houses over 125 animals in their natural habitat, keeping only native animals of Belize which were either orphaned, born at the centre, rehabilitated, or donated to the centre from other zoological institutions.
The centre believes that by bringing the people of Belize closer to the animals which are their natural heritage, they will feel proud of these special resources, and want to protect them for future generations.
Location and free time
The centre is set in 29 acres of Belizean tropical savannah. The land has been sensitively fenced and maintained to ensure that the animals live in an environment as close as possible to their natural habitat. Gravel paths wind amongst the enclosures giving the feel that you are walking in the wild amongst the wildlife.
The centre is well located to allow you to explore the wonders that Belize has to offer. Belize City is about an hour away by bus and from there you can fly or take a boat out to some beautiful tropical Caribbean islands including San Pedro and Caye Caulker.
You can choose to spend your free time hiking in the tropical rainforests, snorkeling on amazing coral reefs or just relaxing on its beautiful beaches. There is also a popular bar and restaurant which is only a 5 minute bike ride from the centre.
Volunteer accommodation
The Tropical Education Centre (TEC) where you will live is about a mile from the centre and you will be provided with a free bike to travel between the two places. Volunteers live in shared dorms at the TEC. The dorms are divided into single sex twin rooms with a shared living space and a screened veranda. There are computers available that you can check emails on and there is a pay phone at the TEC.
What's included and where your money goes
Start dates: Every week on a Wednesday
Duration: 2 weeks - 4 weeks
Cost: From £795
How will I make a difference?
By volunteering at this project you will make a major contribution to the welfare of animals in Belize. Your time and efforts will help to care for the animals, and the majority of the programme cost will go direct to the centre providing a vital source of funding for their work.
The centre receives visits from over 15,000 school students each year and there is always a need for passionate and energetic volunteers.
Animal management volunteering in Belize: What will I be doing?
You will normally volunteer for 5 days per week and generally the day will start at 8am and end between 5pm and 6pm. A rota system is followed for the jobs so that the duties are fairly distributed. You are assigned to a zookeeper at the start of each working day and will assist in:
- food prep
- animal husbandry practices including cleaning and maintenance of enclosures
- watering
- providing enrichments
- animal encounters and animal introductions when they occur
- caring for newborns or orphan animals
There is also the opportunity for volunteers to experience a night tour of the centre and you may enjoy exciting encounters with a jaguar and harpy eagle as part of their placement.
There are 1-2 volunteers on the animal management role but including the education department role there can be up to 3 volunteers at the project at any one time and you will be working within a larger full time team of staff.
This project can be combined with the Education Department role.
More about the project
Much of Belize's wildlife is the same as that of the Amazon Rainforest. The Caribbean Wildlife Centre houses over 125 animals in their natural habitat, keeping only native animals of Belize which were either orphaned, born at the centre, rehabilitated, or donated to the centre from other zoological institutions.
The centre believes that by bringing the people of Belize closer to the animals which are their natural heritage, they will feel proud of these special resources, and want to protect them for future generations.
Location and free time
The centre is set in 29 acres of Belizean tropical savannah. The land has been sensitively fenced and maintained to ensure that the animals live in an environment as close as possible to their natural habitat. Gravel paths wind amongst the enclosures giving the feel that you are walking in the wild amongst the wildlife.
The centre is well located to allow you to explore the wonders that Belize has to offer. Belize City is about an hour away by bus and from there you can fly or take a boat out to some beautiful tropical Caribbean islands including San Pedro and Caye Caulker.
You can choose to spend your free time hiking in the tropical rainforests, snorkeling on amazing coral reefs or just relaxing on its beautiful beaches. There is also a popular bar and restaurant which is only a 5 minute bike ride from the centre.
Volunteer accommodation
The Tropical Education Centre (TEC) where you will live is about a mile from the centre and you will be provided with a free bike to travel between the two places. Volunteers live in shared dorms at the TEC. The dorms are divided into single sex twin rooms with a shared living space and a screened veranda. There are computers available that you can check emails on and there is a pay phone at the TEC.
What's included and where your money goes
- A comprehensive information booklet
- Support from your dedicated volunteer manager within the UK team
- Travel advice and assistance
- Induction
- Accommodation (a simple shared room)
- All main meals
- T-shirt to work in
- Support from the volunteer co-ordinator, who is also the head of animal management or education department (depending on role)