Inti Wara Yassi - Parque Machia

For our next month of travels, we had planned to go and volunteer with animals. I was hoping for a big cat, and Dave was a little dubious, and not really sure what to expect. We had heard about this great organisation, Inti Wara Yassi, which three refuge centres for wild animals around Boilvia. We headed to the first of the Parks, in a place called Villa Tunari - not really knowing what to expect, but committing ourselves to one month to find out. Due to massive landslides, we didn't arrive at the park until pretty late at night, so the official volunteer co-ordinater was not around. Luckily, Francessca and Or, two very long term volunteers were able to show us to a spare room. A spare room covered in roaches, spiders, ants, and with a token bat flying around inside. We quickly put up the mosquito net, and tried to sleep in the unbearable heat, hoping the next day showed the place in a better light...

The next morning we were given a tour by Suzanne, the volunteer co-ordinater. She gave us a brief history of the organisation, and a tour of the various sections. The park consists of: a clinic, for sick animals; Quarenntine, for monkeys in cages (and some on runners), mainly Capuchins; Small Animals, like Tejons, Foxes, Birds, Spider Park, The Mirador (Capuchins), 2 Ocelots, 2 pumas, and one bear. The animals are all there for different reasons - Balu's mother was shot, and he was kept as a pet until he became too dangerous, when he was given to the park. Many of the monkeys came from similar stories, used as pets and horrifically mistreated by humans, some from circuses. The aim of the park is to rehabilitate the animals so eventually they can be wild again - with many this has been possible, but for some they have too much of an attachment to humans to be set free. After the tour, Suzanne told us which animals we would be working with. I was to spend a month in Spider Park, which I Was over the moon about - once I'd seen all the animals, I didn't care where they put me (though I was secretly glad it wasn't birds). And Dave was to be working with Balu the Bear. 

 

 

So I'll sum up the month pretty quickly, as it's impossible really to put in to words how much we loved the park. For me, the feeling of working 11 hour days in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by 32 Spider Monkeys (only 5 of which were on cord, the rest free), and getting to know their faces, names and personalities is something I'll never forget - and I really hope I can come back for a longer period of time in the future. For Dave, the adreneline rush of walking a bear through the jungle every day, and his attachment to the animal was really special. 

The whole way in which the Park is run makes it a real community. Everyone gets what they put in - helping in any way possible at any time. Everyone is filthy and exhausted at the end of every day, but still able to carry a 10l container of alcohol back to one of the hostels and get a party going - one of the high points being a spectacular Christmas party in March! Over the month we made some really good friendships (shout out to Tanja!) - and we hope to see a lot of you again, give us a shout when you're in Peru! 

We both agree it was one of the best months of our lives, and definitely the coolest thing we've ever been a part of. For anyone thinking of travelling Bolivia - this really is a must!

PS. Thanks Rae + Gedge for some photos!