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  - Costa Rica

Nosara Wildlife Rescue

Nosara Wildlife Rescue

Quick Facts

  • Location : Nosara
  • Area : 50+ acres
  • Hours : 10:30 a.m.; reservation required
  • Time length : 2 hours
  • Price : $50 per person, suggested donation
  • Telephone : 2682-1474 or 8866-4652

As you stare directly at the shiny black eyes and honeyed grins of monkeys, stretching their newly healed arms on the swings and tree branches of a spacious shelter at the Sibu Sanctuary, you can't help but to smile back.

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Woven within a 50-acre tropical dry forest abounding with wildlife, monkeys in the Sibu Sanctuary stay in a deluxe three-story, 4,900-square-foot outdoor primate enclosure made of galvanized steel poles double-wrapped with chain link fences. Below tall trees shading their playground, you'll find many injured, orphaned or displaced capuchin and howler monkeys bouncing excitedly with one another, rehabilitating to be released in the wild.

Begin your monkey visit with a hike to the hilltop to see expansive views of Playa Nosara and cattle farms. Hop in a truck for a fun scenic ride up a hill to tropical gardens, where monkeys howl freely from the trees above and you may spot other wildlife peeking sweetly out of the bushes to greet you.

Sit back and enjoy a refreshing cup of juice inside the home of the sanctuary’s owners, to learn about the relentless dedication it takes to keep the monkeys safe, free from hazards of high voltage and electric shock, as well as predators like humans and boa constrictors on the ground.

Keep in mind that monkeys are sensitive to human bacteria and perfumes, so wash your hands thoroughly and leave your Chanel No.  5 at home for the guided visit through their healing enclosure. Step inside to join your new primate friends during their priceless playtime, as they swing adorably on ropes and tires, and snack on fruits and hibiscus flowers. Befriend them, yes, and wish them well as they continue healing to return to the wild — but do not let them get too friendly and sprinkle their blessings in the process.

About the Sibu Sanctuary

The Nosara Wildlife Rescue operates as three separate organizations that work independently:

  • The Refuge for Wildlife, managed by Brenda Bombard, rescues injured, orphaned or abandoned monkeys, gives them medical treatment and shelters them in intimate cages to nurse them back to health until they are ready to interact with other monkeys.

  • The Sibu Sanctuary, managed and owned by Steve and Vicki Coan, transfers monkeys housed in the Refuge for Wildlife over to a larger outdoor enclosure, where monkeys receive more socialized care, rehabilitating among others until they are released in the wild.

  • The Friends of Nosara, a non-profit organization based in Nosara, Costa Rica and registered as a non-profit in the State of New York, is a means for many small organizations to receive donations and grant U.S. tax-deductible exceptions to donors. For example, when you donate to Sibu Sanctuary, your tax exception note will come from Friends of Nosara. Friends of Nosara will allocate your donation to Sibu Sanctuary or your preferred cause as long as the organization is performing legitimate non-profit work.

The Sibu Sanctuary also works with local veterinarians who provide medicine or treatments to monkeys for a low fee to support the cause.

Owners Steve and Vicki Coan advocate for animal welfare in Nosara by appealing to Costa Rica Electric Company and private developers in the area to insulate the electrical power lines and transformers erected in the roads of Nosara. These power lines are a voltage and electric shock hazard to monkeys because they cling on the electrical cables to cross roads where vegetation has been cleared by human developments.

To support the Sibu Sanctuary, the owners offer tours on their private property, and accept  in kind or cash donations to pay for labor, facility maintenance and development, food, and any additional medical care the monkeys may need.  Donations to this meaningful cause, in any amount, are greatly appreciated.

Nosara Wildlife Rescue in Pictures

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