Visiting Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center (ZooAve)—Photos And Brief (5-Minute Read): Alajuela, Costa Rica

Written by Nikki Solano

Nikki is the CEO of Pura Vida! eh? Inc. (Costa Rica Discounts), and the author of the guidebooks Moon Costa Rica (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 editions) and Moon Best of Costa Rica (2022 edition) from Moon Travel Guides. Together with her Costa Rican husband, Ricky, she operates the Costa Rica Travel Blog, created the online community DIY Costa Rica, built the Costa Rica Destination Tool, oversees the brand-new (summer 2023) Costa Rica Travel Shop, and designed the Costa Rica Trip Planning 101 E-Course. Also, Nikki wrote the Costa Rica cover feature for Wanderlust Magazine's sustainability-focused Travel Green List issue, showcased Costa Rica destinations and experiences on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel show and podcast/radio show, and served as the Costa Rica Destination Editor for Essentialist, a luxury travel brand. Want to show your appreciation for her free article below? Thank Nikki here. ❤️️

WANT TO SAVE MONEY IN COSTA RICA?

Our sister site, Pura Vida! eh? Inc., has discounts for San Jose/Alajuela tours and activities. Con mucho gusto (you’re welcome) and pura vida!

🙂

IMPORTANT: This article is part of our Memorable Costa Rica series.

The revered Latin American female writer Isabel Allende once advised: “Write what should not be forgotten.” Inspired by the quote’s brevity and the subject matter of lasting significance, the articles in our Memorable Costa Rica series are concise and highlight what we feel are the most memorable aspects of featured Costa Rica experiences. If you don’t want to waste time rereading the repeated facts and long-drawn-out paraphrased summaries that some other Costa Rica resources offer, then the personal briefs in our Memorable Costa Rica series are perfect for you. Use them to discover the unique qualities and unforgettable moments that we believe each Costa Rica experience provides, so you can easily decide which experiences are worth incorporating into your trip, and in only five minutes or less. 👍🏽

Estimated reading time for this article: 5 minutes

Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center brief

Slow-paced, self-guided, peaceful strolls along the smooth concrete trails at Alajuela’s Rescate Wildife Rescue Center (formerly ZooAve) feel light-years away from the crowded capital city of San Jose and the bustling SJO Airport (30 minutes and 15 minutes by car, respectively). At the center, you can lay your eyes on rescued members of some of Costa Rica’s most colorful and elusive wildlife species; striking blue peacocks and prehistoric-looking iguanas roam freely while multicolored toucans and macaws, agile and acrobatic monkeys, adorable lazy sloths, svelte jungle cats, and more demonstrate their most beloved traits and characteristics from within their temporary homes (and in some cases, permanent homes): giant metal enclosures beautifully disguised by palms, ferns, bamboo, and other eye-catching flora, plus strange-looking oropendola nests. Informative signage is all around, so without a tour guide and with 1-2 hours to spend, you can learn about past and present resident wildlife as well as the center’s rehabilitation efforts. (Don’t miss the story about the retired “freedom bus.”) Go to see a variety of wildlife conveniently at one place⁠—especially if your time and/or budget is limited⁠—and to support the center’s honorable work.

Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center photos

Map of the Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center

More information about the Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center

For more information about the Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center, including the nonprofit’s history, current operations, guided tour options, volunteer opportunities, and visitor information (hours of operation, entrance fee rates, location information, etc.), please see the center’s website.

Pura vida!

Do you have questions about the Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center, want help deciding whether you should visit this wildlife rescue center during your trip, or need help incorporating a visit into your vacation? No problem! When you’re ready, make an appointment here to communicate with me (Nikki) privately and we can discuss these and other topics to get your questions answered fast and your Costa Rica trip poised for success. Pura vida, amigos! 🙂

Hey, Costa Rica Travel Blog reader, thank you for visiting and reading our blog! We're truly grateful for your time and preference.

Do you know that your spam-free reading experience is most important to us? Unlike some other Costa Rica blogs, we do not to sell your personal information, and we choose not to display ads, sponsored content, or affiliate marketing on our blog so we can keep your visit as distraction- and junk-free as possible. Because we prioritize your privacy, we don't earn money when you visit us, when you sign up for our e-course, or when you click on our links, which means the time and work we put into this blog—including its 300+ articles—is entirely voluntary! If you find our content valuable, and you'd like to thank us for making the trip-planning process easier and your Costa Rica vacation more enjoyable, please consider making a small donation ($1, $2, $3, or an amount of your choosing) to our blog. Doing so is a great way to pat us on the back if you feel we deserve it. 😊 Pura vida, amigos!

Click on the button above to donate through PayPal. (If you cannot see the PayPal button above, click here.) A PayPal account is not required to make a donation; credit and debit cards are also accepted. PayPal donations are confidential; we never see your payment details.

Love our blog? Check out our other Costa Rica-related projects, too: