FYI, --Dan

Dan Victor, Seattle, WA <dvictor at u.washington.edu>
Tweeters = http://weber.u.washington.edu/~dvictor/

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dario Castelfranco <gaiamrsa at sol.racsa.co.cr>
To: dvictor at u.washington.edu

JARDIN GAIA
Official Wildlife Rescue Center
P.O.Box 182 - 6350 Quepos
Costa Rica - Central America
Tel/Fax (506) 7770535 e.mail gaiamrsa at sol.racsa.co.cr
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General Information on Jardin Gaia :

1991 : First project in Costa Rica trying to rehabilitate confiscated
wildlife, injured
wildlife & former pets,
1992 : We are dedicated also to the Squirrel Monkey -Saimiri oerstedi
citrinellus-
conservation both *in situ and ex situ* .
1994 : The government and the local National Park Foundation starts
(under) funding
the project.
1995 : Officially recognized as the Pilot Projet for Wildlife Rescue
Center & Botanical Garden in the Central Pacific Conservation Area (1/8
of whole Costa Rica)

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OUR EXPERIENCE

We have been working with Volunteers for 2 years now ( + 70 beautifull
persons from 14 countries for more then 250 weeks-work) some already
came back for a second period. Even if our *budget* is almost not
existent we do not charge Volunteers but just ask them do not represent
a cost for this unique project.
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TRANSPORTATION

The Village of Quepos is in the Central Pacific Coast, has a daily, good
and cheap, air and public bus connection from-to S.Jose' ( 185 Km ) .
Travelling by air is 15' and $ 35-50 one way + $ 3 microbus .
Travelling by bus is 3 1/2 hours and $ 5 one way.
Both will leave you in front of JG gate.
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WEATHER

We are at sea level in the transiction between the humid and very humid
tropical life zone. Dry season is December - April and rainy season
means that rains some afternoons and often at night : cotton clothes are
a must !
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HEALTH

The area is not related to malaria as the Atlantic coast, however most
Volunteers will probably want to be well supplied with insect repellent.
Tap water is safe.
Quepos has a brand new Hospital and a lot of Doctors are bilingual.
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EXISTING INFRAESTRUCTURE

LAND : approx. 50,000 sqmt along the only road between the village of
Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park (150/200,000 visitors per year :
70% foreigner)

ENTRANCE HOUSE
2 floors 36 sqmt each (72sqmt total) built in 1991 in concrete and wood,
6 beds

MAIN HOUSE : 2 floors 76 mq each (156sqmt total) concrete and wood
built in 1992, 3 bedrooms, 2 toilets, reading room 36sqmt

CONFERENCE ROOM for 40 people, 2 separate toilets

HILL HOUSE for Researchers and Volunteers : 4 bedrooms, 2 showers &
toilets

AVIARIES
320 sqmt in cement and teak wood Built in 1991
(3) 5mt x 4mt x h3.5 mt + (3) 10mt x 4mt x h3.5 mt
Built in 1994
(2) 10mt x 5mt x 4mt h + (1) 5mt x 5mt x 4mt H + (2) 5mt x 5mt1/2 x 4 H

GREENHOUSE
300 mq built in 1992 in cement and teak wood : actually filled with
cages for couple of parrots, a cage for squirrel monkey and a female
margay ... unfortunately only a small section is devoted to orchids.

QUARANTINE AREA
One for -former pets- and a separate one for -wild- animals under
construction.
Both are at least 50 mt from other animals enclosures.

CLINIC
Hospital of 40 sqmt, built in 1992, next to the Greenhouse.
Equipment : Microscope ( ), Centrifuge, Surgery tools,
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GUESTS

Psittacinae
Brotogeris jugularis
Aratinga canicularis, Ar.nana, Ar.finshi
Pionus senilis, P.menstruus
Amazona autumnalis autumnalis, A.a.salvini, A.o.auropalliata, A.farinosa
virenticeps,
A. albifrons nana
Ara macao

Toucans
Ramphastos sulfuratus, R. swainsonii, Pteroglossus frantzii

Mammals
Primates
Saimiri oerstedi oerstedi, Saimiri oerstedi citrinellus, Alouatta
palliata

Waiting a new location in Panama
Saguinus oedipus goffreoy
Amazona o. panamensis

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JG STAFF

3 Workers + myself & my wife as Coordinators + Volunteers & Researchers
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VOLUNTEERS PROGRAM

The only requirements are a willingness to work with animals, and that
you stay for at least 2/3 weeks . The ability to speak a little Spanish
helps.
Tetanus and a recent certification T.B. are requested.
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INITIAL BRIEFING

We keep our Volunteers up date on : The never ending struggle for
funding the project,The social-economic-environmental problems of the
area.
As a member of the County Environmental Commission and Manuel Antonio
National Park's Advisor I have strong links with local and national
environmental groups.
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VOLUNTEERS ASSIGNMENTS


NOT SKILLED VOL. (NSV)
2 - 3 weeks minimum stay, hopefully will have 4-6 at a time

6 - 8 : Cage cleaning
8 - 9 : Breakfast
9 - 11.30 : Food distribution
11.30 - 3.30 pm : Free
3.30 - 5.30 pm : 2nd cage cleaning

LONG TERM VOLUNTEERS (LTV)
- First month taking care of animals as NSV
- Second month will be in charge for Secretary work, Newsletter,
Horphans
- Third month : Special Projects, Fundraising, Volunteer coordination,
etc.

Educational
After a short training you will give tours to visitors (If no buyers no
poachers ! ). Develop informational signs and displays for visitors.
Work on a slide show (bring plenty of film).

Hard work
Build cages, nest boxes, wooden forniture for the Volunteers houses,
Maintenance of the infrastructure.

Office work.
Update animals data base, Newsletter, Mailing, Fundraise, Translations

Special works
Participate in Rescue of Wildlife, Investigate illegal possessions of
animals, or destruction of natural habitats in coordination with
National Park Rangers.
Establish a nursery of wild fruit trees that Wildlife use.
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VETERINARY STUDENTS (VS)
Working at least 4 weeks

6 - 8 : Checking individuals & animal's food preparation
8 - 9 : Breakfast
9 - 11.30 : Cheking cage x cage (collecting samples)
11.30 - 2 pm : Free
2 - 5pm : Cheking *species* (process samples - research)
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ENVIRONMENT EDUCATOR
Working at least 4 weeks

8 - 9 : Breakfast
9 - 11.30 : Prepare educational signs, theme exibitions, slideshows,
etc.
11.30 - 2 pm : Free
2 - 5 pm : Give Educational Tours for JG Visitors : No buyers No
poachers !

BOTANIST - BIOLOGIST
Working at least 4 weeks , same schedule as above

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New for 1996

All Volunteers will be *Charged* $ 10 per day in order to cover cook's
salary and food for 3 meals, Veg. considered.

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The quality & volume of the work and the amount of projects that can be
developed depends ONLY on the number of Volunteers. We strongly suggest
the rotation between different daily duties to avoid routine on a weekly
basis .
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Volunteers have acces to our library, maps, computer and printer,
laundry machine,

Can receving phone calls (meals time) & fax , receive mail at our
P.O.Box .
Volunteers are NOT allowed to make phone calls.

In Quepos there is a Post Office, a drugstore, supermarkets, an
International Phone Calls Office, a brand new Hospital and an airport.
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Benefits
Free entrance into Manuel Antonio National Park and arrangements can be
made for several others (Tikets for CR National Parks are $10-15 a day X
person).
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We are not looking just for *Hard workers* but for Veterinary, Biologist
(both students and professionals) and others with expertise are also
needed, including Botanists, Geographers, Computer operators, and
Carpenters.
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Volunteers are encouraged to promote the project back in their country
and will receive for ... ever update an e-mail issue of J.G. newsletter.
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Books on Costa Rica Wildlife :

a - Costa Rica Natural History -Daniel Jenzen (with 174 contributors)
Univ. of Chicago
b - Birds of Costa Rica - Cornell Univ. Press
c - Butterflies of Costa Rica - Princeton Univ. Press
d - The quetzal and the macaw - Sierra Club