Refugio Animal de Costa Rica — Attraction in Santa Ana

With my good fortune, I was able to see the 2 sloths during feeding time, which meant that they were awake and active. They were hand-fed lovingly by volunteers. You are not allowed to touch or hold the sloths, which I think is beneficial to them as to not add extra stress for the animals.

The animals and enclosures were well taken care of, although some of the facilities such as the aquarium were showing signs of weathering.

The sanctuary rescued some previously abused animals, such as a male crocodile missing 2 front legs and a hawk missing its right wing. Some of the monkeys also showed signs of mental distress, perhaps from conditions previous to coming to the sanctuary. If you are a soft-hearted person, you may find it difficult to bear the sight.

I spent my morning on a guided tour at the sanctuary and I was pleasantly surprised by how informative and knowledgeable my guide was. He spoke good English and was passionate for his animals. He knew all of the animals by name. He explained the circumstances and condition of each animal, and why they perhaps could not be released into the wild. After the tour, I had the opportunity to wander around by myself to spend a bit more time with my favourite animals.

If you do visit the sanctuary, be sure to bring mosquito repellent, sunscreen, and a grippy pair of shoes. The establishment is paved although people who need mobility aids may find some surfaces steep or with...

Very well done rescue animal Park with a nice assortment of mainly Costa Rican wildlife including reptiles, birds, monkeys, cats and deer. Our guide Rachel was knowledgeable with a warm demeanor, her love for the animals is paramount and our hour long tour flew by. It is built on gentle hills with a rocky path and there were no available wheelchairs on site but anyone who can use a cane would be capable. It took a bit over 30 minutes by Uber from the airport area to get there and a bit longer later in the day to get back. We arrived about 3:15 pm on a Wednesday and saw everything before the refuge closes for the day at 4:30pm. There is a senior discount available. There is a little cafeteria attached for anyone who goes earlier in that day than we did. We went rain or shine, it had been raining but the sky cleared before we started our tour. Andrea and Steve from Tucson,...

This place was a disappointment...We asked the lady behind the counter to see a price chart in regards to the cost of entry. The lady did not have one and told us it is $25 to get in. We had student ID's so she ended up charging us $20 per person. I am now looking online and see that it is only $14 per adult without a student discount. It is bothersome to know that we were overcharged.

We saw on the counter that the Herpetological Refuge offers free guided tours. When we asked about the tours the lady at the counter said the next tour guide might be back for a tour in 2 hrs. but wasn't positive.

I asked how long it would take to walk the property and see the animals. I was told it would take 1 1/2 hours. With all honesty, the property is very small and with very few animals. We saw birds, snakes, monkeys, turtles, alligators, and...