Hi! My name is Aline, and I completed the Wildlife Internship at Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary for 10 weeks.
I study Animal Care at Vives in Belgium. The wildlife internship focuses on caring for animals in the sanctuary, but I especially enjoyed the opportunity of working in the nursery – that was definitely the highlight of my time at Alturas.
During my internship, I learned a lot about wildlife care, including preparing food in the kitchen, cleaning enclosures, and following the sanctuary’s important hands-off policy, which means handling animals only when absolutely necessary. A major part of the work involved keeping the enclosures clean and safe, which is essential for the animals’ health.
The staff, other interns, and volunteers were incredibly supportive and passionate, creating a great environment to learn and grow. Having the pool within walking distance was a great bonus, especially since the sanctuary is located on top of a mountain and other activities require a car or taxi. Outside of work, I got to explore Costa Rica’s amazing nature – visiting beaches, waterfalls, going on night tours to spot wildlife, and enjoying evenings out in Dominical for a drink at the bar or dinner at a local restaurant.
This experience taught me so much and gave me lasting memories and friendships.
