Wildlife Rescue Centres

Costa Rica banned traditional zoos in 2013 and has strict rules on wildlife handling, and what exists instead is a network of rescue centres taking in animals confiscated from the illegal pet trade, orphaned, or injured by cars and power lines. Some are excellent: sloths, monkeys, macaws and wild cats in large enclosures, with rehabilitation and release as the goal wherever possible and clear signage on why particular animals cannot go back. Others are considerably weaker, and a few operations sell wildlife interaction under a rescue label. The better ones prohibit touching or holding animals entirely, which is the single most useful thing to check before booking.

What to look for

• Rehabilitation and release - the goal at the better centres.
• Confiscated pets - the main source of the resident animals.
• Sloths and macaws - the species visitors most often come for.
• The no-touching rule - the marker of a properly run centre.

When to go

Year-round. Most run guided visits at set times rather than free wandering. Morning visits catch animals when they are most active, particularly the sloths, which are not active for long.

Things to know

The single best test is whether a centre lets visitors hold or touch animals: if it does, it is prioritising the experience over the animals, and holding sloths in particular causes them measurable stress. Some operations use the rescue label loosely. Check whether release is actually part of the programme and whether the centre is registered with the environment ministry.

Nearby

Centres operate near San José, in Guanacaste, on the Caribbean coast and near Manuel Antonio.