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 History
Dennis Janik came to
Costa Rica in 1990 to pursue his passion to help and protect wildlife.
He stumbled upon a rundown roadside zoo, in miserable condition, in
Alajuela built in the 1960s called Zoo Ave. Although not a fan of
traditional zoo’s, Dennis saw this as an opportunity to eliminate the
animals’ suffering and to fulfill his dream of creating a sanctuary
which protected and release wild life. At the same time he envisaged
inaugurating a continuous educational program for the public. After
acquiring the zoo in 1991, Dennis purchased a 36 acre property where
construction began on a new facility that would become Rescate Animal
zooave, a Non-Profit Foundation, Latin America’s largest wildlife
Rehabilitation + Breeding center as well as Costa Rica’s only GFAS
accredited sanctuary.
Due to the success
of the rehabilitation and breeding programs it became apparent that
another permanent release facilities, in different ecosystems, were
required for those species that were not suitable for release in the
semi urban area of Alajuela (Alajuela is in the Central Valley). In 1995
the search began for two sites, one in the rainforest in the South of
the country and the other in the dry tropical forest of the North West.
These two sites, together with the existing center in the Central Valley
would accommodate the wide range of animals received and bred by Rescate
Animal zooave.
In 1997 construction
began on the southern site of 35 acres, on Playa San Josecito, located
on Golfo Dulce, It was chosen because of it’s inaccessibility by road
and it’s natural surroundings, ie the then newly formed 40,000 acre
Piedras Blancas National Park. Many years of over hunting had turned the
area into a forest without animals and it was therefore an ideal
location for the re-introduction and release of both rehabilitated and
captive bred animals.
In the years since the initiation of this project on Playa San Josecito,
RESCATE ANIMAL zooave has been successful in releasing over 300 Scarlet
Macaws and establishing a new and wild population. These Macaws have
thrived in the area, bred continuously and are seen in the park and
beyond. The success of the Playa San Josecito site has not been limited
to Macaws as many thousands of other rehabilitated animals have also
been released,e.g. Sloths, Anteaters, Turtles, Iguanas, Spider and
Squirrel monkeys, Songbirds, Owls, and Hawks.
In 1999 a second site was
chosen in the Dry Tropical Forest of the northwest of the country. This
2,000 acre site of mostly secondary growth forest was named Bosque
Escondido Wildlife Refuge. It is located in the middle of the Nicoya
Peninsula on the 50 square miles Cero Azul mountain. This area was
colonized in the 1920s but by the 1980s slash and burn agriculture had
degraded the soil so badly that much of the land had become
unproductive. Since then most of the farms on the mountain have been
abandoned and there is secondary growth forest on many of the slopes.
Over hunting contributed to eliminating many of the larger species once
common on the Peninsula, also making it a forest without animals.
Since 1999 many thousands
of rehabilitated animals such as Howler monkeys and Whiteface monkeys,
Anteaters, Porcupines, Turtles, Iguanas, Spectacled Owls, Margay Cats,
red Turtles, green Iguanas, Toucans and Toucanets Parrots and Parakeets,
Snakes and many more have been released into the refuge.
Note worthy conservation successes include the release of 350 Great
Curassow and over 60 spider monkeys re-establishing 2 species that had
been extinct on the Peninsula for more than 60 years. In 2014 Rescate
Animal zooave’s “Sloth Be Free” program began releasing Sloth’s into the
refuge after an 80 year absence.
Present
Every year Rescate Animal
zooave in Alajuela admits approximately 2,800 orphaned, injured and
confiscated wild mammals, birds and reptiles. Some animals are too
vulnerable to be released back into the wild and therefore require long
term care. Over the years tens of thousands of shrubs and trees have
been planted, this is an ongoing effort and a great deal of care and
effort goes into the continuous restoration of the Wildlife environment
where visitors are able to see and enjoy the wide range of animals in
their natural habitat.
Our Team
Dedicated and tireless
work has kept Rescate Animal zooave staff entrenched in local, regional
and national environmental politics, giving a voice to the otherwise
voiceless animals. Rescate Animal zooave staff also work consistently
with local communities in each area to instill a deep respect and
continuous pride in some of Costa Rica’s most valuable resources.
Some of our staff have
been with us for over 20 years and every day they prepare meals for over
2,000 animals across the areas in which we operate. Diet is crucial to
any breeding program. We buy approx 1,000 lbs of fresh fruit and
vegetables every week and over 100 dozen eggs; grains, beans and rice
are part of the staple diet and some of the foods are baked into biscut
which is fed to birds. We also need to import some of the food for the
animals with very specific needs.
Environmental & Education Program
Rescate Animal zooave’s
philosophy starts with a sign at the entrance or the visitors center
that reads: “No To Captivity”. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of
stickers and coloring books telling stories about captured animals and
poaching chicks have been given away to children in most parts of the
country. The centre is there for recreational purposes as well as to
educate the public, consciously and subliminally. Working with Social
Media, the Press, Television, famous people and celebrities, the
steadfast and important message and theme is repetitively On-Going : The
Solution is Not with the Animals, but with People.
Rescate Animal zooave is
a Non-Profit Organization and all proceeds from the Wildlife park are
used to fund our captive breeding, rehabilitation and release projects
around Costa Rica. Please visit us, we are dependent on your vital
support. Enjoy a day out with your family and/or friends and note we
have an open air Restaurant, Cafe David next to the zoo.
Source: official site of
Rescate Animal
Zoo Ave (2016)
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