The Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center in Costa Rica receives nearly 3,000 injured wild animals each year due to human activities. One of them is Santi, a juvenile sloth that arrived with burns on its limbs and head after being electrocuted on power lines.
Named a national symbol in 2021, the sloth is one of the species most affected by electrocutions, road accidents, and illegal pet ownership. Its story reflects the direct impact of human activity on Costa Rica’s biodiversity.
The only wildlife hospital in the country
The center houses the only hospital dedicated exclusively to wildlife in Costa Rica, where they care for everything from small birds and turtles to large felines like jaguars and pumas.
- Main objective: heal, rehabilitate, and return animals to their natural habitat.
- Limitations: not all can return to the forest, especially those who suffered severe injuries or were pets.
Those who cannot be released live in the center’s sanctuary, where they play an educational role and help raise awareness about the importance of protecting wildlife in their natural environment.
Anthropogenic causes
According to veterinarian Isabel Hagnauer, most admissions to the hospital are due to human causes:
- Illegal possession of wild animals as pets.
- Electrocutions from power lines.
- Road accidents.
- Forest fragmentation due to infrastructure and development.
Education and sustainability
The center promotes environmental education programs to help the population understand that wild animals belong in the forest, not in homes. The goal is to move towards a more sustainable development that reduces accidents and electrocutions resulting from habitat loss.
The sanctuary and macaw reproduction
The sanctuary houses around 1,000 animals, including pumas, jaguars, ocelots, spider monkeys, white-faced capuchins, macaws, turtles, and exotic species rescued from illegal trafficking.
Additionally, the center runs a red macaw (Ara macao) breeding program. Pairs that cannot be released breed in the sanctuary, and their offspring are released in specific areas of the country where efforts are underway to recover wild populations.
A country without zoos
On May 11, 2024, Costa Rica closed its last zoos, reaffirming its commitment to species conservation in their natural habitat and moving away from the captive exhibition model.
The story of Santi and the thousands of animals cared for each year at the Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center is a reminder of the human impact on biodiversity. Costa Rica, a country recognized for its natural wealth, faces the challenge of reducing anthropogenic causes that endanger its wildlife. The hospital and its sanctuary not only save lives but also educate and promote a cultural shift towards the protection of wildlife in freedom.
