Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi

Description

Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi, known as CIWY, is a Bolivian non-governmental organization that rescues and cares for wildlife seized from illegal trafficking.

It runs three wildlife sanctuaries in Bolivia, Parque Machia, Parque Ambue Ari and Parque Jacj Cuisi, where rescued monkeys, wild cats, birds and other animals are rehabilitated and given long term care. Staff and international volunteers handle daily feeding, medical treatment, enclosure building and enrichment for animals that in many cases cannot be returned to the wild. The organization also fights forest fires in the Bolivian Amazon and helps injured wildlife recover afterward.

Beyond animal care, CIWY works on environmental education for young people, scientific research into local species and habitats, and public action against poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. It began by educating disadvantaged youth in El Alto in 1986 and was formally organized as CIWY in 1992. Friends of Inti Wara Yassi groups in the United Kingdom and Australia, founded by former volunteers, raise funds and handle tax-deductible donations on its behalf.

CIWY operates in Bolivia and is recognized internationally for its wildlife care and rehabilitation work.