Be a Wildlife Volunteer in South America
// June 11th, 2010 // Volunteer Vacations
Ecuador in South America is home to a bewildering array of wildlife. Fifteen percent of the world’s bird species are endemic to Ecuador. There are also 138 species of amphibian and 106 species of reptile.
From Lions to spider monkeys to endangered species like the Giant Armadillo, the wildlife in Ecuador is in fact so diverse that the World Conservation Monitoring Center lists it as one of seventeen Megadiverse countries in the world where the majority of Earth’s wildlife is to be found.
As a South America volunteer on an Ecuador wildlife protection program you have the opportunity to get up close and personal with this extreme biodiversity.
Lead Adventures operate four rescue and education projects designed to safeguard the country’s wildlife from the effects of illegal animal trade and maltreatment.
You can help feed and clean animals as diverse as Galapagos Turtles and sloths; you can volunteer help on endangered species breeding programs; you can assist with the intake of new animals confiscated by the Ecuadorian authorities, and help with their rehabilitation and rehoming or re-release into the wild. It is a South America volunteer adventure you’re unlikely to forget!
Animal abuse in Ecuador remains a massive challenge. Laws and attitudes are changing slowly, but help is still very much needed. If you’re an animal lover with a lust for travel, what could be more inspiring than a trip to Ecuador on a two-week wildlife volunteer program? It’ll take your breath away!