Bringing Breakfast to the Monkeys

Online, August 10, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. Kids Saving the Rainforest (KSTR), a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1999 and dedicated to the preservation of local rainforests and their inhabitants, is pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with the Blue Banyan Inn. Located minutes from Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica's premiere beach and national park destination, the Blue Banyan Inn is an environmentally friendly bed and breakfast offering visitors a truly unique vacation experience. In addition to their three luxury cottages, landscaped pool and waterfall, and open-air restaurant on the grounds, Blue Banyan has its own animal sanctuary, managed by KSTR. The sanctuary, which houses a wide variety animals including endangered tamarins, marmosets, and raccoons, is a part of KTSR's ongoing efforts to study, breed, and repopulate species, while at the same time educating people about environmental preservation.

KSTR and the Blue Banyan Inn are currently seeking new volunteers to help maintain the sanctuary, while at the same time indulging in all that the Inn and Costa Rica have to offer. "We are incredibly excited for volunteers to come and have the chance to learn more about these little guys," says Barbara Thompson, one of the caretakers at the sanctuary who has helped hand-raised over a dozen marmosets and is intimately involved with caring for the sanctuary's 22 current inhabitants.

"When I was a little girl, I told my friends I always wanted to have a finger monkey, and I was so excited because here I got to hold and feed one," said Amy-Lynn Ness, a recent guest at Blue Banyan Inn who took advantage of the volunteer opportunity.

No experience is necessary to take part in this hands-on educational experience. Anyone over the age of 6 is welcome, with parental supervision needed for those under 18. Volunteers work with staff at KSTR to care for the wildlife, having the opportunity to feed and raise monkeys as well as build and enhance animal enclosures. "We especially need help with the babies who require feeding every two hours during of the first couple weeks of their lives," said Barbara.

Additional educational opportunities exist to learn horticulture and botanical gardening techniques in Blue Banyan's nurseries, and assist in the construction of trails and labyrinths. All volunteers have the option of spending anywhere from one week to several months as part of Blue Banyan's ecologically sustainable community.

Blue Banyan Inn is located on Finca Azul, 8 miles outside of Quepos, Costa Rica and is American-owned and operated.

Kids Saving the Rainforest's mission is to educate children about the rainforest, preserve local rainforest land, rehabilitate and provide sanctuary for wildlife in need, and ensure the survival of the Titi monkey.

Those interested in volunteering at Blue Banyan Inn's animal sanctuary should contact Jennifer Rice at (506) 2777-2592 or [email protected] for more information, prices, and to make a reservation.