Home»Portfolio»Costa Rica travel 2014»20141002 Costa Rica Proyecto Asis

Melody and I visited the Proyecto Asis wild animal rescue center near La Fortuna, Costa Rica on 10/2/14. The center's Director (and son of it's veterinarian founder), Alvaro del Castillo Vega, took us on an educational tour of the facility. He introduced us to the animals by name, told us a bit about their respective species and individual back-stories, and discussed their prospects (if any) for reintroduction into their native habitats. He explained that, primarily due to the various consequences of the global wild animal trade, many would never be able to be released, and that the best they could offer in many cases were "bigger cages" (literally and metaphorically) so that the animals could live out their lives in relative safety--compared to the alternatives. Alvaro also made us some delicious Costa Rican coffee and some Agua Dulce in a little break we took before preparing and feeding the animals. I missed photos of a few animals, including a beautiful old ocelot that was hiding in an area too dark for me to get a good shot.