Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center is situated on 36 acres of natural forest in La Garita de Alajuela, just 15 minutes from Juan Santamaría International Airport and 40 minutes from San José. Rescate Wildlife receives over 3,000 wild animals every year. Roughly 2% of the animals that we receive cannot be released back into the wild because they have been too badly injured, or they have been kept as pets and are too used to humans. These animals are provided with lifetime care in Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center's Lifetime Care Sanctuary. Here the sanctuary residents live in highly naturalized habitats nestled amongst thirteen acres of lush, tropical botanical gardens.
We also feature a souvenir shop with local crafts, an ice cream shop and home-made popsicle from local fruits, as well as a full service restaurant. The Sanctuary is fully accessible and complimentary wheel-chairs are available on request.
There are hundreds of fascinating animals living in the Lifetime Care Sanctuary at Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center. Each one of them has a unique rescue story to tell, such as Guapo, the jaguar who was found floating on a log in a hurricane or Coco the 6-foot crocodile who was kept as a pet in someone's backyard!
Take a guided tour of the Lifetime Care Sanctuary and learn all about the various residents who call Rescate their home. Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center's experienced guides will not only share the stories about the various animal residents living in the sanctuary, but also help you locate and identify all amazing free-living wildlife within in the surrounding botanical gardens from tiny hummingbirds to massive iguanas. Bird lovers be sure to bring your binoculars!
Your visit to Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center not only helps support all of the sanctuary animals but also the wild animals that they rescue and return to their rightful place in the wild.