Jaguar Rescue Center.

Situated near Puerto Viejo on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, the Jaguar Rescue Center functions as both a high-standard rehabilitation clinic and a permanent sanctuary for displaced wildlife. Founded by a biologist and a herpetologist, the facility handles a rotating cast of residents ranging from orphaned sloths and howler monkeys to toucans and pit vipers. What sets it apart is a strict focus on reintroduction; the "Shock Free Zone" initiative and rainforest protection programs underpin their goal of returning animals to the wild whenever possible. Guided tours are led by staff and volunteers who provide unsentimental, science-based histories of each animal’s recovery process. While the name suggests a feline focus, it’s actually a comprehensive hub for regional biodiversity and conservation education.