Volunteers Testimonials and Stories
After graduating from the Veterinary Technician course in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, I dreamed of learning and working more with exotic wild life. ARCAS Vet Program in Peten fulfilled more than I could have dream of.
Arriving to the breathtaking but humid jungle took a bit of acclimatizing, but every ounce of sweat was worth it. In this course I learned proper and safe handling, wildlife medicine techniques, adequate nutrition, enclosure requirements and rehabilitation stages and much more of the multiple indigenous animals to northern Guatemala and surrounding areas. Learning these techniques and working alongside the veterinarians of ARCAS was a priceless experience.
Between the passion, the knowledge and the experience of these veterinarians, I was flooded with excellent information and education. The hands on experience was phenomenal and more then I could have asked for. I really feel that the veterinarians of ARCAS have a massive amount of knowledge to share and spread. The research and time they have spent working with these animals did not go unnoticed. They are changing the world, making a difference one animal at a time. It's a beautiful thing!
To be a part of such an amazing wildlife rehabilitation center was so fulfilling.
The team there all work so hard and are all so passionate. This is a place I plan to revisit and volunteer again in the near future. ARCAS as a whole will forever hold a special spot in my heart.
I was very fortunate to participate in the Veterinary Student Program at ARCAS in February 2016. The program provided a really amazing window into the world of wildlife medicine and conservation in Central America.
We covered a large amount of material in a short period of time, including general husbandry, capture techniques (crocodiles and kinkajous were a highlight!), safe transport, anesthesia (including learning how to properly use dart guns), neonatal care, zoonotic disease, and necropsy. Alejandro and Fernando were very kind about allowing the veterinary students to participate in all of the medical procedures, while still being very respectful about balancing safety and the needs of the animals. Though days were generally planned in advance with powerpoint lectures and training activities, there was always room for flexibility depending upon the needs of the animals and the center.
A typical day would start at 6:30 with cage cleaning and the feeding of your assigned animals After breakfast veterinary students would join Alejandro for a powerpoint lecture or training and medical procedures. After lunch, animals would be fed again and then veterinary students would participate in additional procedures or discussions. Days typically wound down around 3 or 4 o'clock, and students were given the remainder of the day to rest, participate in activities around the center or take trips to Flores for internet/snacks (a short boat ride away from ARCAS). No two days were the same and Alejandro always welcomed questions and concerns.
The living quarters were comfortable and felt safe. (*Bring ear plugs if you are a light sleeper as the walls are very thin and the Howler Monkeys often give concerts in the middle of the night). Mealtimes were communal and provided a great opportunity to get to know travelers from all around the world. Anna (the volunteer coordinator) was extremely kind, and very supportive of the volunteers. She knows the facility like the back of her hand and was always very helpful and able to answer questions about life at ARCAS or the needs of the animals.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend participating in the ARCAS veterinary student program! I learned an incredible amount in a short time period and afterwards, felt very inspired to find my career path in wildlife medicine
My time at ARCAS was absolutely incredible. I participated in the veterinary medicine course under Dr. Morales and Dr. Martinez and learned more in 6 weeks about veterinary medicine than I had in 4 years. They are awesome!! And brilliant and funny and inspiring. Anna is an absolute angel. Honestly, the people, the staff, the culture, the experience, everything is awesome. I can't wait to go back!
I volunteered at ARCAS for two weeks in summer 2014 and I have to admit that it was the highlight of my year. I took part in the veterinary programme which provided me with excellent experience to take back to university. ARCAS veterinarians Fernando and Alejandro taught us so much about conservation and animal care of exotic species. They provided us with small group lectures, teaching us about monkeys, parrots and crocodiles before allowing us to handle these species under supervision.
I would highly recommend the veterinary programme as it really does enhance your knowledge and teaches you a lot of new things - I've barely even scrapped the surface here. Knowledge aside, not everyone can say that they have taken a blood draw from a crocodile or dewormed a spider monkey in the rain forest.
Outside of veterinary specific activities, we helped out with the other volunteers looking after cages, preparing food. You also get a fair amount of free time in the afternoons to visit Flores, chill in a hammock or even swim in the lake. All the volunteers and staff were friendly and always happy to see you, they make you feel as though you've been part of the team for months and it really didn't matter that I couldn't speak a word of Spanish.
If you want a new experience and want to have a chance to make a difference to wildlife conservation then definitely go to ARCAS.
I came to ARCAS at the end of 2013 and was only intending on staying for a few weeks, a month tops and ended up being there for nearly 2 months. I was blown away with the place, the hard work that goes into the running of the whole programme, you can't help but get totally involved. I loved it and made so many friends and felt valued there and what I was doing was so valuable also. I would go back in a heartbeat and I'm intending on returning in the future. I recommended it to anyone and everyone, get involved!
During my gap year I volunteered a month at both the Hawaii and Peten projects. Having worked at multiple conservation projects, ARCAS has been the most organized and effective I have yet to see.
The work is dirty but rewarding. The Rescue Center in Peten is certainly the more mature and structured of the two projects and gives volunteers the opportunity to work around a wider variety of animals. That being said the laid back family nature of Hawaii was wonderful as well. Having worked at both I would definitely recommend ARCAS as a top choice to anyone looking to volunteer at a conservation project.
The staff are welcoming and very knowledgeable and the facilities are continually improving. So come with an open mind and a desire to work around some of Central Americas beautiful wildlife and you will have a great experience!
I decided to spend some time abroad after finishing school and came across ARCAS online, but I could have never anticipated how much it would have affected my life. I spent three months living in the Peten Rescue Centre in 2012 and I can truly say that it was an experience of a lifetime that influenced my future career path. I was only meant to stay for 6 weeks but extended my stay after only a few days and if possible would have stayed much longer.
I didn’t have much experience working with animals but soon found that this was what I wanted to do with my life. Be prepared to work hard and long hours, get dirty and be woken up by howler monkeys at 5.30 in the morning. But it really is worth it since it is such a rewarding experience. Being from a country where it is pretty much impossible to work this close with these amazing creatures without any training I was amazed by how much knowledge and hand on experience you can collect from helping these animals in need, especially when staying in the sanctuary for several months.
The staff all are amazing at what they are doing and are welcoming towards everyone. I bonded quickly with the fellow volunteers and am still in contact with many of them even years later.
I returned to the rescue centre the next summer for another two months where I also carried out some research for university and I cannot wait to finish my degree in Primate Conservation and return to ARCAS.
After a year of volunteering in Central America, ARCAS Peten was my final destination, and I can honestly say that it stood above the rest. I set off to learn about veterinary medicine, the state of conservation, politics, and culture and ARCAS taught me more in each of those themes than any other place I worked.
A unique thing about my Peten experience that I didn’t get in some of the other wildlife centers was access to the surrounding communities. While at Peten, I made a number of local friends in the villages. My Spanish level at the end of my year definitely aided me in this: being able to speak with the workers and locals definitely enriched my experience.
Not only was the work instructive and the staff inspiring at ARCAS, but the wildlife on ARCAS’s protected property were incredible.
The staff were inspiring and that, above all other things, is why I know I need to return to ARCAS as soon as I’m able. You will not find people more committed to conservation and education; the work they do on a daily basis to raise awareness of the plight of many victimized or threatened animals and habitats in Guatemala is superhuman. Every time they’d sit us down to update us on their work give a presentation on previous animal releases or research projects, many of us would leave totally charged with their infectious passion for the work. I came into ARCAS with a strong commitment to conservation, and left with even stronger conviction: it is easy to see why this volunteer program changes peoples’ hearts, lives, and opens their eyes to the challenges and needs for more efforts such as theirs.
I’ve kept in contact with many of the volunteer and local friends I made at ARCAS, and hope to both visit them in their countries and return to ARCAS soon. No matter what your background, ARCAS has something to teach you, and you should definitely check it out. If you keep your eyes and ears open to the experiences it has to offer, it’ll be an experience you’ll cherish your entire life through.
Thanks for everything, ARCAS, and hope to see you soon!
Working at the Centre was amazing and incredibly rewarding. As to be expected there is little to no direct human to animal interaction unless you happen to be working with the baby monkeys. This is because the main goal of the centre is rehabilitation of these animals so they can hopefully return to the wild.
Not being able to touch the animals did not diminish my experience in the slightest as I really appreciated the amount of effort the staff goes to in order to make sure everything accommodates the animals’ needs rather than their own or even the volunteers.
Just being able to enter a cage full of 5 howler monkeys and closely observe their behavior was something I never thought I would get to experience and I was happy to do my part to help these amazing animals.
I didn’t find the work too demanding and never felt overworked. I found that I had plenty of free time that I, and the other volunteers, would fill with trips to the dock or bonfires or just walks around the gorgeous area.
It is worth mentioning that there is actually no internet available at the reserve but I found this a nice change and we went into Flores twice a week if we did need to use the internet. I stayed at the reserve for 4 weeks but I could have stayed longer and I would recommend this experience to anyone.”
Last summer, I spent 2 months at Parque Hawaii and the least I could say it was one unforgettable experience. It is undoubtedly one my favorite summers, one I won't forget. The staff members were cool. The cook Donya Mayra is just amazing! Best of all is the atmosphere within the volunteers. Thanks to Arcas, I met awesome people from all over the world. Would I do it all over again? Hell yeah!!
My time at „Parque Hawaii“ was unforgettable!
Working with all the different animals there was such a nice experience, especially because you can really do something to save them. It was incredible to see turtles building their nest and also laying their eggs and freeing the little baby turtles after they hatched was amazing.
The people that I met, the volunteers but also the people who are working there, were so nice and inspiring. There are so many things that you can do at the park and I have to say that I learned and that I saw so many wonderful things.
All these aspects made this time a beautiful and unforgettable experience that I will always think of and that I’m still missing every single day.
After spending a month in Parque Hawaii at ARCAS I wasn’t ready to leave. During my stay I assisted with daily care of the animals and grounds, assisted with research of the local otter population, and participated in a boat trip where we tagged sea turtles and took samples. The boat trip was the highlight of my stay, as I got the chance to work with the ARCAS staff and local fishermen to assist with research of sea turtles, and we also released a young turtle back into the wild. In my short time at ARCAS I learned so much about the essential conservation of endangered species, and the importance of good communication with the surrounding community whose livelihood depends on fishing. I was very impressed with the positive relationship between ARCAS and the local community.
Everyone at ARCAS was so dedicated and I loved getting to know the staff, other volunteers, and our local neighbors in Hawaii. I will continue to use the knowledge of conservation I gained and the experiences I had at ARCAS throughout my career. I will never forget my time in Guatemala!
Volunteering in Hawaii I probably had the best time of my life and I would always go back there in a second! When I first arrived at the Parque Hawaii on the pacific cost, I felt like stepping into paradise. There are palm trees everywhere, a beautiful little rancho, three dorm rooms and the best: caimans, parrots, turtles, dogs….
You basically work and live right on the beach with hammocks everywhere to relax during the sunny days.
But it’s not just this paradise-feeling that made me happy, even more the persons working for ARCAS are amazing and help you to have a fantastic stay. First of all there is Lucía, the park’s director. She is a lovely young woman and a brilliant biologist and manages everything, no matter if an animal is sick or if a volunteer is not feeling well. Then, there is Doña Mayra. She is the best Guatemalan cook and with her warm heart she always gives you the feeling to have a mother around.
Also Mario and Mariachi, the guards of the park, are wonderful persons.
When I arrived, in June 2014, there were only two other volunteers because the turtle-season did not start until late July. So, in my first weeks we did a lot of hard work during the day. We planted trees nearby the mangroves; we prepared the dorm rooms for the volunteers arriving later that summer; we repaired the animals cages, etc.. Sometimes it was really exhausting, because during the day it was so hot and you were sweating all the time. In my first two weeks I often had headaches and the mosquitos were bothering me, because my body just wasn’t used to the climate. But I guess it was after three or four weeks that I was totally accustomed to the climate.
In July and August a lot more volunteers were arriving and we started the night patrols and changed the working plans. Luckily, there was Jean, the best volunteer’s coordinator ever. Everyday she put our jobs on a whiteboard so that we would know right after breakfast at what time we have to work and at what time we can just relax in the hammock or go for a swim in the ocean. Those volunteers who speak a little bit of Spanish were not just doing the sea turtle work but also helping out in the communities nearby. In some schools we taught English and environmental education. That was another aspect why I loved volunteering with Arcas. In Hawaii you cannot only help the animals but also get in contact with the local communities. It was so much fun to go the schools, as the children always were happy to have us around. Sea turtle work is for night owls. You have to patrol one or two times per night. On a patrol shift you walk along the beach and watch out for turtles laying eggs. If you find your own turtle: congratulations! Most of the times the local men are faster than you, then you try to buy their nest. Doing that it is very helpful to speak a little bit of Spanish! But as you always patrol in teams, it’s very likely that one you speaks Spanish. Once you have a nest in your arms you go back to the park and bury the nest in one of the hatcheries. You will be taught how to bury the eggs properly before you go on patrols. The best moment is when you release the baby turtles. As you need to measure and weight them you can hold the babies in your hand for a little time and that is so damn cute . I could write ten more pages about work and life in the park, but the best is you experience it yourself! I cannot imagine that anyone feels lonely or sadly in Hawaii.
Last but not least I want to say that I chose the homestay option. I lived with a local family in the village of Hawaii and would always go back there. Living with them was great. My host-mum taught me how to cook proper tortillas, I had a host-sister and there were always lots of children around to play with. It helped me a lot to improve my Spanish.
I would always go back to Parque Hawaii and miss all the people I became friends with during my stay. It was more than a wonderful experience!
I’ve been to ARCAS twice—a six-week trip in 2009, and a 3-month stay in 2013. Needless to say, it’s one of those places that’s had a lasting impact on my life, and I often find myself wondering about the next time I’ll be able to go. There isn’t just one thing about ARCAS that makes it so magical; it’s a combination of elements that takes you far from your ordinary life and plunges you into something incredibly different.
The work is something that sets ARCAS apart from other animal rescue organizations. You’ll spend your days cleaning cages, preparing diets, and working on one of the long-term projects that’s going on. The amount of work varies with the number of volunteers there at the time—I’ve seen it range from 2 to 30—and on the days where there were just two of us, I gained an appreciation for just how much the volunteer force actually does, and how ARCAS truly relies on its volunteers to remain up and running.
In terms of animal work, there’s no guaranteeing what you’ll see. There were weeks that went by when the animals were healthy and well-behaved, and others when cages full of sick animals were carted in, the spider monkeys had a mutiny, and some big cat outside of the facility was reaching into the cages at night and playing “pop the parrot.” Because I stayed for weeks at a time, I was able to see some of the incredible surgical work done with very limited supplies, and some of the astounding recoveries that the animals made. There were also disappointments and discouraging times that gave me an appreciation for just how unforgiving the animal world can be. No matter what you see, it’s guaranteed that you’ll walk away with an experience that makes you reconsider how you think about the world.
The people are the heart and soul of ARCAS. The staff workers have been there for years, and are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. They’ll also put you to shame as they haul crates of fruit up a steep slope of stairs while you’re gasping and dragging a box of bananas at half speed. The other volunteers, as I said earlier, vary every week and represent all ages, countries of origin, and reasons for wanting to be there. There have been some weeks that feel like a high school summer camp, others that lead you to stay at dinner past ten o’clock talking world politics and social issues, others where you compete with who can carry the most rocks to add to the foundation of a new building. No matter the week and flavor of the volunteers, it’ll be an eye-opening experience. After my months in Guatemala, I gained a greater appreciation for not how diverse the world is, but ultimately, how we’re all the same, and in the best ways possible. I can also swear in five languages now, but that seemed like a less profound statement.
The place is the one thing that doesn’t change on a day-to-day basis. Every morning you’ll be awoken at predawn by the screech of the macaws or the Chewbacca-esk cry of the howler monkeys. You’ll be guaranteed to get beans and tortillas at nearly every meal. You’ll cringe a little when you step into the icy showers, but God it’ll feel good at the end of another sweaty day. You’ll enjoy the cocoon of your mosquito net and the smell of the old books from the library. You’ll swim in the lake with a slight fear of crocodiles (but not enough to stop you) and savor the wind on the boat ride to Flores. And when your time comes to leave, you’ll wonder how it went by so fast.
Cuando llegue a ARCAS no sabía cómo se veía un centro de rescate o cual es el trabajo que se realiza dentro de uno. Tras mi inducción de tres días, mi primera actividad fue trabajar con loros. Durante este primer mes, tuve la oportunidad de aprender de dietas, manejo y un poco de medicina.
Los loros son el grupo más numeroso de animales en el centro de rescate por tanto la experiencia más fuerte es el trabajo con ellos, y nunca se deja de trabajar con ellos. Al principio tenía mucho miedo de sujetarlos o de alimentarlos, y a pesar de que me gane muchas mordidas sobre todo en mis primeras semanas, obtuve la confianza en mí para sujetarlos e incluso medicarlos.
Trabajar con saraguates fue toda una experiencia en mi vida y en mi práctica profesional, ya que no solo aprendí del manejo y medicina si no también conocí nuevos sentimientos y aprendí a controlarme para un fin mayor, que es darle a algo tan frágil como la vida de un monito saraguate lo necesario para vivir y crecer. En especial al primer saraguate y único saraguate que crie a mano. Al final por más que se luche hay cosas que llevan un camino y es muy difícil frenarlas, el monito falleció. Otra gran experiencia en ARCAS fueron los casos clínicos.
Eventualmente las instrucciones dejaron de llegar, y me encontré con migo misma para resolver. Mi primera reacción muchas veces fue como tener la mente en blanco, pero cuando ves un animal en esa pequeña línea de la vida y la muerte, y a pesar de la enfermedad o el dolor hay algo que lo mantiene, te hace buscar cómo ayudar, te hace resolver. Muchas veces los pacientes mueren, pero cada muerte que tuve en mis manos, me hizo apreciar aún más cada vida. Y por más frustrada, o confundida me sintiera después de perder un paciente, tuve que encontrar fuerza para levantarme, analizar, aprender y seguir adelante por todas esas vidas que me esperaban y que aún me esperan.
Además de aprender de los animales, puede ver la realidad que viven ellos, y la capacidad humana para provocar daño, sobre a todo aquellos cosas que nos recuerdan lo pequeños que somos ante la naturaleza, lo cual evidente ante el cobarde ataque al jaguar, quien falleció en nuestras manos. Mis labores en el centro de rescate fue un poquito de todo, un poco de limpieza, de cuidados de los animales, de medicina, de manejo, de mantenimiento del centro, y un poco de reparar cosas. Cada poco hizo mucho en mí como futura profesional y como persona. Enseñe a algunos voluntarios y ellos me enseñaron mucho a mí, al igual que los doctores y los trabajadores con quienes compartí aquí estos últimos 5 meses.
I'm Gabriele Consonni from Italy and I've been volunteering with ARCAS at the Peten Rescue Center this past summer. This mail is to wish you and all ARCAS staff a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.I also want to thank ARCAS because volunteering with you has been one of the best experiences I've ever had in my entire life.
I wish you good luck with all the animals and everything, and I hope to be able to come back again and help.
Thanks again
Buon Natale
In 2003, the Oakland Zoo teens embarked on a trip to ARCAS with much excitement. As a trip leader, I hoped these youth would have a safe and fun time, and an experience that would affect their lives and life choices. The teens were previously prepared through monthly workshops about the wildlife, culture and conservation issues in Guatemala, and were so inspired that they raised funds for a needed spider monkey fence, and collected educational and medical supplies to bring along.
I could not have been more thrilled with our experience! The teens were empowered by the trust that ARCAS bestowed upon them, as they were each assigned various tasks at the center. I had never seen them so serious and focused as they rose early to prepare food for the animals, clean enclosures, haul materials and help at the education center.
The authentic eye-opening work, combined with the evening vet and staff talks, really offered these youth the true story of the issues that these animals face, and the solutions that work. For each one of them to feel like they had contributed to the betterment of these animals was life changing. Of course, they also had a blast! Exploring the area, games and campfires, and getting close to beautiful animals made for an incredibly good time.
Back at the zoo in Oakland, they were beyond motivated to teach our public about the importance of ecologically sustainable pet choices and did what they could to keep supporting ARCAS. Through the success of that trip, various zoo vet techs have volunteered at ARCAS and another batch of teens returned in 2010. Our ZooCamp even adopted ARCAS as their beneficiary and focus for that summer.
I still am in touch with some of these now young adults, and there is no question that their trip to ARCAS was a critical part of their journey to be environmentally aware and empathetic adults. We will definitely return!
I first arrived at the ARCAS Rescue Center in Petén in October 2005 and remember that I was immediately stricken by the tropical heat. Since I planned to stay for ten months I had a big rucksack and a suitcase – half of my household – and I was grateful when Bernardo (a staff member of ARCAS) offered to help me carry it up the hill to the volunteer house.
Over the next couple of days, I settled into life at the Rescue Center, the daily routine of feeding the animals at 7AM and 3PM, and meals chatting with the volunteers and staff, and of course, caring for the animals, which is the focus of everyone’s attention. I wanted to improve my Spanish, so I tried to spend more time with the staff during meal times. Over the course of my stay at the Rescue Center, I got to know the staff, who were all very helpful and friendly and welcomed me into the ARCAS- family.
I know it sounds like a cliché to say that my experience at ARCAS was a great experience and that it was life-changing, but it really was. For one thing, it helped me decide what I wanted to do with my life. Before I went to Guatemala I was planning to become a veterinary surgeon, but when I helped Fernando (the ARCAS vet) on surgery on an injured bird, I almost blacked out. The sight of the blood sent shivers down my spine and I started sweating and had palpitations. From that moment on I knew that I had to do something else for work. Since that time I study law with a focus on international environmental law.
ARCAS touched my life and I continue to support them by fundraising among my friends and family and each year sending them a donation. I still consider the Rescue Center in Peten to be “my project”, as I say, joking with the staff each time I visit Guatemala. I appreciate the fact that ARCAS has created an atmosphere which allows people like me who care to actively participate in the conservation of Guatemalan wildlife feel. This is just a little anecdote to say that ARCAS touched my life and made me think about my place in the world!
I volunteered this summer in Peten in Guatemala. I can honestly say after a good shower, I was ready to go back!! I was very anxious about going there as it was my first experience with this kind of volunteering, and the first time I had gone into the rainforest environment! I was equipped with mosquito nets, 100{ac6f2bc95b79266b003a58a971d11454600243c1bbb6280752d36c9990d144a7} deet anti mosquito spray, long sleeved tops and trousers! I arrived and had the support package and was picked up from the airport and taken by boat to the site. I was extremely nervous, especially as my Spanish was virtually non-existent!
After the climb up to the main living area (is not that steep, but feels really long the first time you do it!), I met everyone at breakfast – when I arrived there were 30 volunteers and Ali and Anna immediately made me feel at home. After orientation around the camp, where you are just in awe of where you are and the animals and the effort made to rehabilitate them, I was thrown into working on the 11am shift.
The work is not hard, but can be tiring (6.30 start!), everyone pitches in together and helps and you are always paired up with someone who has been working on your section for a few days. They help you and then you teach someone else and you move on to another section. During my two weeks, I worked with parrots, macaws, owls, howler monkeys and spider monkeys. The experience is something I will never forget. Even as the number of volunteers fluctuate, working as a team, the animals are cared for and monitored to a high level.
I soon ditched the long sleeves and trousers for shorts and t shirts – be prepared to ruin a few clothes! You may be a bit smelly at the end of your shifts, but rest assured everyone is, so no-one notices! I managed to survive with minimum mosquito bites (compared to others there), but I did regularly use the spray. I think 100{ac6f2bc95b79266b003a58a971d11454600243c1bbb6280752d36c9990d144a7} deet spray is the way to go, but don’t expect it to protect you completely! There is free time after 3pm and trips twice a week into Flores on the ARCAS boat.
You are made to feel that you are important in the help you are providing. Every morning, you give feedback about the animals you are caring for. The presentation on the parrot release when I was there, really showed how these animals can be rehabilitated and the importance of trying to get them back into the wild.
If you go expecting to cuddle baby monkeys and talk to the parrots then you will be disappointed, if you want to feel like you are doing something meaningful, you will not be disappointed. The aim here is to de-humanise and help the animals as best they can to enable them to be able to survive in their natural environment. I would like to thank all the staff and volunteers I met for making it one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had.