Instituto Vida Livre

What Instituto Vida Livre does

Instituto Vida Livre (IVL) is a Brazilian nonprofit civil society organization of public interest (OSCIP), founded in 2015 and headquartered in the Jardim Botânico neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. It operates a wildlife rehabilitation center that provides free daily specialized care to wild animals rescued from trafficking, abuse, vehicle strikes, and electrocutions, and has treated more than 15,000 animals across 350 species since inception. Its core operations comprise the Centro de Reabilitação (the hospital facility), ASAS: Áreas de Soltura (registration, licensing and management of 11 release areas covering 84 million m²), the Mantenedor de Fauna sanctuary for non-releasable animals, and a fauna repatriation program executed in partnership with IBAMA, GOL and GOLLOG.

The organization extends its core rehabilitation activity through a portfolio of research projects (Conexão Silvestre PDI with energy company Light and tech partner Concert Lab; Pesquisa Quaest with Instituto Quaest; Vida Livre Baleias with ECOMAR UFRJ), advocacy and art/culture programs, and a social program (Vida Livre Gente) that brings cultural workshops to InCor-HUSP hospital patients via the Espaço Imaginário Marisa Monte. Technical and operational capabilities include specialized veterinary care (documented publicly through a 3D-printed toucan beak prosthesis), licensed wildlife release infrastructure, and technical cooperation agreements with IBAMA, the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, and academia.

IVL is funded entirely through individual donations (PIX, bank transfer) and corporate sponsorships from a network of more than 30 partners across energy, aviation, cosmetics, tourism, oil & gas, and media (Light, GOL, Granado, Prio, Grupo Iter, Bônus Track, Bondinho Pão de Açúcar, ArtRio, Canon, Globo). It holds OSCIP certification, state and municipal Public Utility designations, and the OSCIP Verificada transparency seal. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the organization operates with a lean team of approximately 13 staff.

Name

Instituto Vida Livre

Legal name

Instituto Vida Livre

Website

https://institutovidalivre.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Instituto Vida Livre is a Brazilian nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation center in Rio de Janeiro that provides free care to rescued wild animals, manages 84 million m² of release areas across 11 sites, and conducts conservation research through corporate and government partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD)

Keywords

• Wildlife rehabilitation services
• Fauna release programs
• Biodiversity conservation research
• Animal sanctuary care
• Wildlife trafficking repatriation

Headquarters

HQ city

Rio de Janeiro

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: Revenue is generated through individual donations (PIX, bank transfers), corporate sponsorships, and partnerships with companies supporting biodiversity conservation projects. Services are provided free of charge to all beneficiaries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Instituto Vida Livre operates a national reference wildlife rehabilitation center in Rio de Janeiro that provides free daily care to wild animals rescued from trafficking, abuse, vehicle strikes, electrocutions, and similar situations. The organization also manages 11 registered wildlife release areas totaling 84 million square meters, a sanctuary for non-releasable animals (Mantenedor de Fauna), and a fauna repatriation program returning trafficked animals to their biomes of origin via airline partners.

Product overview

Instituto Vida Livre operates a portfolio of interconnected wildlife conservation services centered on its Rehabilitation Center, which provides free daily care to wild animals in Rio de Janeiro. The core offering includes rehabilitation, release area management (ASAS), fauna sanctuary (Mantenedor de Fauna), and fauna repatriation in partnership with IBAMA. These are complemented by research projects (Conexão Silvestre with Light/Concert, Pesquisa Quaest, Vida Livre Baleias with UFRJ/ECOMAR) and engagement programs (Advocacy, Arte e Cultura, Vida Livre Gente). The organization has treated over 15,000 animals across 350 species and manages 84 million square meters of release areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Centro de Reabilitação: Daily specialized support service for public agencies, companies and civil society in Rio de Janeiro for wildlife rehabilitation
• ASAS: Áreas de Soltura
• Mantenedor de Fauna
• Conexão Silvestre
• Vida Livre Baleias
• Vida Livre Gente

Products and services

• Centro de Reabilitação (Rehabilitation Center) Daily specialized wildlife rehabilitation service provided free of charge to public agencies, companies, and civil society in Rio de Janeiro. The center treats wild animals rescued from trafficking, abuse, vehicle strikes, electrocutions, and similar situations, with over 15,000 animals treated since 2015.
• ASAS: Áreas de Soltura (Release Areas) Service for the registration, licensing, and management of areas designated for the release of rehabilitated wild fauna. Covers 11 licensed release areas totaling 84 million square meters across Southeast Brazil.
• Mantenedor de Fauna (Fauna Sanctuary)

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000+ wild animals treated since 2015
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• IBAMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical Cooperation Agreement for wildlife rehabilitation and fauna management. IBAMA is Brazil's main environmental agency and the primary government partner regulating wildlife rescue and release operations.
• Jardim Botânico do Rio de JaneirocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical Cooperation Agreement with the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden for conservation and biodiversity research initiatives.
• LightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Conexão Silvestre Research, Development and Innovation (PDI) project focused on biodiversity and wildlife conservation in the energy company's service area.
• ECOMAR UFRJcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical cooperation with the ECOMAR laboratory at UFRJ university for Vida Livre Baleias research project on whale and dolphin conservation.
• GOL and GOLLOGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for fauna repatriation - trafficked animals are transported back to their biomes of origin via GOL airlines cargo services.
• Instituto QuaestsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with Instituto Quaest for scientific studies on biodiversity and wildlife conservation, with support from actor Fábio Porchat.
• Espaço Imaginário Marisa MontesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt and culture partnership with the Espaço Imaginário Marisa Monte for Vida Livre Gente project bringing culture and support to hospital patients, and for general advocacy activities.
• Glória PiressecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCelebrity partnership with actress Glória Pires for the Mantenedor de Fauna project - a space to shelter animals that cannot be released, with support from her involvement.
• Fábio PorchatsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCelebrity support for Pesquisa Quaest research project, bringing visibility to the organization's scientific work.
• Concert LabsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner for Conexão Silvestre research and innovation projects.
• FreelandsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner for anti-trafficking and wildlife conservation initiatives.
• GlobosecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing visibility through news coverage and editorial features.
• PriominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting biodiversity conservation activities.
• GranadominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting the organization through CSR initiatives.
• Grupo IterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing support for conservation activities.
• Bondinho Pão de AçúcarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism partner supporting the organization.
• Bônus TrackminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting environmental initiatives.
• ArtRiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerArt event partner for cultural activities and advocacy.
• CanonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter providing equipment for documentation and research.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Associação Mata Ciliar: Brazilian nonprofit based in Jundiaí (São Paulo) focused on reforestation, environmental education, and wildlife rescue - the most directly comparable Brazilian peer with similar urban wildlife rehabilitation, release, and biodiversity conservation work.
• Wildlife Center of Virginia: US nonprofit wildlife hospital in Waynesboro, Virginia treating 3,000+ native animals annually with rehabilitation, education, and release programs - closely matched mission, nonprofit hospital model, and free service delivery to public agencies.
• WIRES (NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service): Australia's largest wildlife rescue organization with 2,500+ volunteers rehabilitating injured wildlife - closely matched nonprofit rescue model, though volunteer-driven rather than facility-based.
• WildCare: Bay Area (California) nonprofit wildlife hospital and education center treating 4,000+ animals annually with rehabilitation and release - closely matched urban wildlife rehabilitation nonprofit model with similar volunteer-driven operations.
• Lindsay Wildlife Experience: Walnut Creek, California nonprofit wildlife hospital treating 5,000+ animals annually with rehabilitation and education programs - very comparable scale, structure, and nonprofit operating model.
• Pacific Wildlife Care: California-based nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation center on the Central Coast treating hundreds of native animals annually - comparable smaller-scale operational model with similar rehabilitation and release focus.
• Centre de Fauna de Vallcalent (Generalitat de Catalunya): Wildlife hospital managed by the Catalan government in Lleida, Spain, treating injured wildlife and conducting release programs - directly comparable single-region wildlife hospital model with similar intake volume and regulatory integration.
• The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota: University-affiliated nonprofit wildlife hospital in Minneapolis treating 1,000+ injured birds of prey annually - comparable model combining rehabilitation, research, and education with a structured release program.

Broad incumbents

• Taronga Wildlife Hospital: Australia's largest wildlife hospital, part of the broader Taronga Conservation Society that also operates zoos - larger, established organization treating 1,500+ native wildlife annually with similar rehabilitation and release programs.
• Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital: Queensland wildlife hospital founded by the Irwin family treating 1,000+ animals annually - similar rehabilitation and release programs, with global brand recognition as a broader conservation enterprise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instituto-vida-livre
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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Instituto Vida Livre