TOUCAN RESCUE RANCH (WILDLIFE RESCUE CENTER)

The Toucan Rescue Ranch’s (TRR) mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and when possible, release Costa Rican wildlife. TRR works with a model that focuses on conservation, education and research so a brighter tomorrow is promised to the incredible animals of Costa Rica´s rainforests. The Toucan Rescue Ranch was established in 2004 by Leslie Howle and Jorge Murillo as a rescue centre for toucans and other birds. Nonetheless, the rescue centre quickly expanded to owls and other wildlife. In 2007, a baby sloth, Millie, arrived and was solely in Leslie and Jorge´s care. Millie is initially what transformed the Toucan Rescue into a wildlife rescue. Leslie and Jorge work as a team alongside a small staff, caring for resident rescues and new arrivals. The goals of the organization are: 

• To establish a captive breeding program for all six species of Costa Rican toucans 

• To accept, evaluate and treat rescued and decommissioned animals in need. 

• To rehabilitate and release injured wildlife back to its natural environment. 

• Provide educational programs, research sites and facilities. 

• Provide volunteer opportunities for local, national and international individuals.

ACI Costa Rica is a non-profit organization founded in 1967, whose main goal is to promote programs of intercultural learning and international volunteer service (IVS) for people from all around of the world, facilitating their experience in social and ecological projects, developing global citizens. ACI wants to contribute to solidarity and friendship between the different societies of our globalized world, to sustainable human development, and personal growth of our participants. Our organization is an active full member of the International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE), a federation of more than 40 intercultural and IVS organizations located in the five continents. ICYE Headquarters are placed in Berlin, Germany. The federation of ICYE has been recognized as International Peace Messenger by the United Nations. ACI Costa Rica has developed partnerships with other networks and programs such as: The Committee of Coordination of International Voluntary Service (CCIVS), associate to UNESCO, The Alliance of European Organizations (ALLIANCE), Volunteering Matters from United Kingdom (VM), VolontEUROPE, Weltwärs from the German government, and ERASMUS + from the European Union. The experiences we promote are mainly focused on incoming and outgoing programs, involving long and short-term periods, for groups and individuals. These programs are managed in cooperation with our local Costa Rican networks, partner organizations and communities such as: The Federation of Social Organizations (FOS) and YO ME UNO from the private initiate, and others.