I helped for nearly two months as a volunteer at the Animal Shelter project and I enjoyed every day that I was working and living with Cesar and Victoria. This project is a really good way to show the local people and also the tourists how bad contact with the wild animals of Peru is. It wants to protect and to conserve wild animals, like monkeys, tapirs, turtles, parrots, sloth’s, pecaris and nearly every animal which could be used as a pet.
In the past I have never worked with animals, so I collected many new experiences in the Animal Shelter and now I know so much about the wildlife of Peru: for example which kind of leaves a tapir likes, how large capybaras can become, and that the common woolly monkey is a threatened species. Moreover, I learned how much and which combination of food every animal at the project needs and when is the best time to feed it.
As well as the daily tasks, feeding the animals, cleaning the shelter area, and guiding visitors, Cesar and I built a cage for an owl, which was a pet in the village and which has had to learn how to fly and how to catch food. Also, we planted more than 150 trees (Aquano and Paca Pacay) and maize, cucumber, papaya, and watermelon for the animals.
My time at the project was a great experience for me, I got a really good insight into the wildlife, the flora, and the daily life of the local people. Everyone who wants to learn something about these things and who wants to help to protect the wild animals of Peru will be very happy as a volunteer in the Animal Shelter.
