Black Howler Monkey Rescue Centre in Argentina

  Argentina

• Cordoba: 
Cordoba

Term: Throughout the year 
Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months, 7-12 months, 1-2 years and over 2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: All year

Description: The centre is located at around 80 kms from Cordoba in the province of Cordoba.

The centre occupies 360 hectares in mountains, rivers, waterfalls and forests at 1,350 meters above sea level. The region is very remote, 11 kms away from the closest village of La Cumbre. For over 12 years the centre has been working with the species Alouatta Caraya (howler monkey or caraya) a species which inhabits the forests, jungles of Northeast Argentina. The centre depends upon a Non-Government-Organisation, ACPM Zoo-Cba , founded in 1985 and is recognized as such by the authorities but receives no financial support.

There are volunteers from the institution Guardazoo (many of them students of biology or veterinary medicine) who help us, as well as independent enthusiasts.

It is the first and only centre for rehabilitation of primates in Argentina and the only one, which works to rehabilitate the howler monkey.

The program of the centre consists of various stages of physical, psychological and social rehabilitation; that is, "we teach the monkeys to be monkeys again". In the centre we work with orphan animals and monkeys turned "mistakenly" into pets. All have been taken from their natural habitats to satisfy the pet trade and to be held as exhibits in zoos. All the monkeys have come from voluntary hand-ins, seizures by the government, zoos etc from throughout the country. All have been pet monkeys. Unfortunately the pet trade still exists in South America and although it is a protected species in Argentina, enforcement of this status is not effective. It is now listed in CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) Appendix 2, as vulnerable. Continued hunting for the bush meat and pet trades and habitat destruction ensure that numbers in the wild are still declining rapidly.

What is a Black Howler Monkey? Howler Monkey Genus Alouatta: The howler monkey is the loudest monkey and the loudest land animal. The howlers call can be heard up to three miles (4.8km) away. The howler is the largest New World monkey (monkeys from South, and Central America). These social primates live high in the trees of the rain forest of Southern Brazil, Northern Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. These monkeys are in decline due to a loss of habitat. They live in the tops of trees in organised groups of between 3 and 20 individuals. When they feel threatened or in difficulty, the group is reorganised and they defend themselves screaming, cutting tree branches or defecating on the intruder. The communication is crucial. All the members of the group are joined by a complicated communication system that includes gestures and sounds. The roar or hoarse howl makes them one of the noisiest animals in the world. Its communal howling (group roar) can be heard to an extent of more than 4 km.

Costs: What a volunteer is required to pay and when:

For a duration/period of: 3 Weeks = 500 Euros per person (minimum stay), 1 MONTH = 600 Euros per person, 2 Month = 800 Euros per person, 3 Month = 900 Euros per person

For a stay longer than 3 months, you can make special arrangements with the volunteer coordinator.

What the centre offers: Daily room and board. Food is prepared and served by the family over there (you eat well - a diet is not possible if you like eating :-)

Toilet and shower in an outhouse. The water for the shower is heated by lighting a fire. Dont worry, you will be shown how to do this! It is very quick and easy.

Time off : days off can be arranged, depending on the number of volunteers

In the area around the centre, you can go some nice trekking or bathing in private basins in the Tiu Mayu river beside the centre (only in summer)

The centre does not have urban comforts or luxuries. It is a really rustic area. Most of the time, the volunteer is isolated from civilization. There is no telephone, fax or internet service in the centre. However, these are available in the La Cumbre village, where you can go either by taxi or with the shopping car from time to time.

This project is part of Ecoteer - the solution to travel and volunteering on a shoestring

Ecoteer is a unique volunteer opportunities agency - offering a directory of cheap volunteer work opportunities, volunteer jobs abroad and working holidays. Our volunteer opportunities are cheap because we have eliminated the middleman slashing the price to volunteer abroad for gapyears, careerbreaks and working holidays. Ecoteer is leading the way in a new type of volunteer work opportunities abroad and is changing the volunteer and working holiday industry back to what it used to be benefiting both the volunteer and the volunteer project.

We have other opportunities in ecotourism, conservation, humanitarian aid and teaching in other 50 countries.

To volunteer with Ecoteer you need to become an Ecoteer volunteer member which costs only £20 per year.

Visit our website to search more of our cheap volunteering opportunities.

Highlights: The volunteer work at the centre:
Feeding and care of the monkeys, Observation, study and data input of the free social groups, Attention and care of the orphan monkeys, Cleaning and maintenance of the areas in the centre, Construction and repairs to the refuges and airways, Assisting in the capture and handling of the monkeys, Working in the tree plantation for the monkeys (only in wintertime), Washing the monkey plates,

Cleaning of the volunteers dormitories and toilets,

Care of other animals: Beside the monkeys, there are also a number of domestic and other wild animals that we care for: pumas, lion, dogs, cats, geese, horses, llamas, donkeys, sheep, ducks, and chickens.

The work of the centre takes place all year round, every day of the week.

Care for the primates is from 9am to 6-8pm, more or less.

Skills: A love of animals and the desire to protect them. To possess no fear of animals, especially not of dogs, because there are plenty It is not necessary to be a university or high school student. Only patience and dedication are required.

Other requirements

Mandatory vaccinations are required: tetanus and rabies.

You should be in good health and have an average physical condition, because the work includes a lot of walking and carrying food. If you already had severe problems with your back before, the volunteer work in the centre is not recommendable for you.

Language: Spanish - English optional

A beginners course in Spanish will do it firstly and you can learn more during your stay. The volunteer coordinator, who will be working with you, knows some English too, so you will be fine.

Qualifications: None

Cost in US$: Euros 500 for 3 weeks

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Argentina Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 5-15

Application Process Involves:

• Other
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Job and Internship Network

Ecoteer's Mission Statement: To help locally run grass root organisations to achieve their aims via attracting paying volunteers and tourists. Plus we personally help develop and improve the projects we work with to help them to achieve their objectives.

Year Founded: 2005