Rainforest Conservation: Wildlife Research & Animal Husbandry in the Amazon

I first visited Hoja Nueva in 2023 as a mixed intern where I had the opportunity to learn and experience a plethora of things. From intense all-day hikes bushwhacking through the Peruvian Amazon to collect and implement camera traps to relaxing evenings with movie nights and popcorn, Hoja Nueva provided an amazing, immersive, and well-rounded internship experience. I was left so impressed with all that the jungle had to offer and so inspired by all of the work done and constant improvements made by the dedicated staff at Hoja Nueva that I just had to return.

This past year I made the decision to visit Hoja once more as a student in their 6-month rehabilitation and rewildling course where I had the opportunity to work daily in their rehabilitation center with their staff. Every day greeted me with new experiences and learning opportunities. I have never worked so closely with such dedicated staff members who so quickly and warmly welcomed me on to their team and made me feel like part of their family. Saying goodbye was one of the hardest things I've done and I'm sure I'll be back one day.

If you are thinking of interning with Hoja, do it! There is no doubt you will have an unforgettable experience, not a day goes by where you don't see or do something cool. Also, there is no better organization to directly support in the Madre de Dios region than Hoja Nueva, and no better way to support than to show up.

I did the Mixed Internship for 4 months total from dry season to the Transition period. It was my first time working in conservation and being away from home for such a long time. For me it was the experience I could ever have wished for. Sam and Dylan as well as the rest of the team really for the interns and you feel like you are learning something new everyday. No matter if you are already experienced. I really enjoyed also having the opportunity of starting a research project of your own or helping with already existing projects. Even if you are a complete beginner like I was, you will definitely find something! What I liked the most were definitely the hikes I. The forest to set up camera traps and helping in the research
-cooperation about nocturnal mammals in the Amazon. A close third though is assisting in the work at the rescue Center. Overall it’s definitely an experience that I wouldn’t want to have missed and I am certain I’ll be back in the next years! It is a program for people getting into conservation or already working in it but trying to get more experience. It also is a very interesting place for adventure travellers that want to help conservation efforts led by experts.

My three months interning at Hoja Nueva in the Peruvian Amazon was one of the coolest and most meaningful experiences of my life. Working at the wildlife rescue center gave me firsthand experience with the entire rehabilitation process, from intake and daily care to enrichment, rehabilitation, release, and post-release considerations. I prepared meals, cared for sanctuary animals, created enrichment, and helped improve and maintain enclosures, while also participating in weekly lectures covering everything from animal physiology and diets to release strategies and post-release data collection.

What stood out most was the people. The staff are incredibly intelligent, passionate, and motivated, and Sam and Dylan are exactly the kind of people you want caring for wildlife. They are kind, eager to teach, and combine science-based methods with firsthand experience to give every animal the best possible chance of returning to the wild and thriving afterward. I also really admire Hoja’s commitment to sharing its knowledge and methods with other like-minded organizations rather than keeping that information to themselves, allowing their work to have an even greater impact on wildlife conservation.

Beyond the work itself, living in the heart of one of the most biodiverse places on Earth was an unforgettable experience. Nearly every day brought a new wildlife encounter—from snakes and birds to anteaters and tayras—and I met incredible people from all over the world who became part of some lifelong memories.

More than just an internship, Hoja Nueva changed the direction of my career. I left with an even deeper passion for wildlife conservation and a strong desire to pursue wildlife rehabilitation as a career. I am incredibly grateful for my time at Hoja and would recommend it to anyone interested in wildlife conservation, rehabilitation, or rewilding. It truly was an experience of a lifetime, and I would love to return someday.

I stayed at Hoja Nueva for two months doing a general internship. I decided to go there because they run a really vast variety of projects ranging from Herpetology and Mammal Ecology to the reintroduction of all kinds of animals. This gave me the absolutely perfect opportunity to figure out which area of biology I later want to specialise in! Next to this, I really love doing wildlife photography and staying at Hoja Nueva gave me plenty of opportunities to take macro shots of so many different species of reptiles, amphibians and other animals. Living in the jungle doing fieldwork pretty much every day I could gain so much invaluable experience that will come in really handy in the future.
I know, it’s such a cliche thing to say that volunteering abroad changed me but when you live in the jungle for a longer period of time, how can it not? Everything around you is alive! Animals, plants, fungi are all competing against each other and you can literally observe all of those different survival strategies (which can be absolutely insane sometimes!) and see how and why they have evolved. Seeing all of this happening and how everything in that system influences one another was unquestionably the most valuable thing that I could gain in the jungle! I came back home with a much better understanding of biology and how ecosystems work, which could never be acquired by reading tons of books or learning about it in lectures. You simply had to be there!
To be honest, one thing that I was a bit worried about before I got there was the living situation and what the people over there will be like. But now that I'm back, it’s one of the things I miss the most about this place! Everyone (including the cats and dogs!) was so welcoming and supportive from the minute I arrived and no questions that I had were left unanswered! Also, all the other interns were absolutely amazing people and how can it not be a great experience when you live in the middle of the rainforest with a bunch of biology nerds?
Overall, it was such an amazing experience and I had a really good time! I can’t wait to come back one day!
(And if you’re still thinking about whether you should go or not, just go for it! Trust me, it’s amazing!)

Working at hoja nueva was a life changing experience. The company was very well run and at no point did i feel like there wasnt something to do. Between the nightwalks, boat tours, or, simply hanging out and interacting with the locals, it was all amazing. Sam is such a helpful person who made sure all requirements of the research projects were met. Learning to use camera traps to study the local wildlife was incredibly insightful as well as tracking wild cats using their scat. Waking up to the sounds of howler monkeys and visiting local cocoa farms make this place feel like paradise

I'll preface my review of Hoja Nueva by saying that I absolutely loved the opportunity that Hoja gave to me by allowing me to live in the thick of the Amazon Rainforest. I stayed at the Eco-Lodge for 3 months and my daily activity often took me out of the comfy housing to the on-site cacao chacras or orchards to complete my school sponsored research. After a day's work, I was frequently invited or accompanied on walks into the Rainforest with knowledgeable employees and friends. Hoja Nueva is a magical place with beautiful people.

At Hoja I helped out with a variety of projects including: predator scat analysis, avian and herpetological surveys, soil sampling, and many others. The technical skills I gained from this internship were invaluable but the experience was so much more for me than that. Having the opportunity to unplug from the internet and fully immerse myself in the entirety of nature's wildness changed my life. Every moment that I spent in the jungle with Hoja Nueva, I was awestruck by the gloriousness of the natural world, by the seemingly endless array of life. The lodging is gorgeous, and you're awoken every morning by the sounds of howler monkeys and macaws. I loved waking up, making my morning coffee, and hanging my feet over the edge of the house watching monkeys play in the trees. Projects often involve collaboration with others, so working well on a team is a must! The employees and fellow interns/volunteers at Hoja are easy to get along with, and tasks such as cooking are shared by everyone staying at the lodge. I felt like I had my own little jungle family by the time I left. I would highly recommend this opportunity for anyone with a passion for wildlife and conservation. If you're anything like me, you'll be dying to return as soon as you leave.

I went during the summer of 2018 as a student and then back in 2019 as a volunteer. It is an amazing place that will truly give you a one of a kind experience. The people there are so amazing as well as the place itself. The amazon rain forest is stunningly beautiful for each of our five senses. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for an adventure, a true experience of being out in nature, and especially for those looking to gain field research experience.

I cannot say enough good things about this place. The amount of work they have done and the amount of dedication they have is truly inspirational.