RAREC - RAINFOREST AWARENESS RESCUE AND EDUCATION CENTER

What RAREC - RAINFOREST AWARENESS RESCUE AND EDUCATION CENTER does

RAREC (Rainforest Awareness Rescue and Education Center) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organization founded in 2011 and headquartered on Carretera Iquitos-Nauta Km 47 in the Peruvian Amazon. The organization rescues, rehabilitates, and releases Amazonian species including manatees, ocelots, tapirs, anteaters, sloths, a giant river otter, and primates (spider and woolly monkeys). It also runs environmental education programs for local communities near Iquitos to reduce poaching and deforestation pressures. Notable technical and research assets include GPS and VHF tracking collar deployments on released animals (in partnership with ICAS), a post-release manatee monitoring project, and Starlink satellite WiFi enabling operations in a remote rainforest setting.

The organization's revenue model is diversified across six streams: tax-deductible one-time donations (US donors receive tax receipts via PayPal or bank transfer in Peru and the USA), recurring monthly animal sponsorships (e.g., Azucena spider monkey at $75/month), an online nonprofit merchandise shop (organic apparel priced $22-$65, collectibles, framed posters $55-$69), tiered volunteer and internship programs (Animal Care from $490/week, Education from $700/week, Wildlife Conservation from $1,400/2 weeks to $6,300/12 weeks, Veterinary Internship), one-day volunteering experiences at $100, and community fundraising campaigns such as "Run for Release." Go-to-market is community-led: the organization attracts international volunteers and interns, builds brand through Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Tripadvisor, and earned media (conservationmag.org, savethemanatee.org, nashvillezoo.org), and is sustained by a network of institutional conservation partners including Save the Manatee Club, Nashville Zoo, Georgia Aquarium, Columbus Zoo, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.

The organization operates with approximately 12 staff led by Head Veterinarian Dr. Cameron Stewart and is supported by named expert collaborators on manatee and anteater rewilding. Operating expenditure includes $16,000/month for center upkeep, and RAREC's independent status means it relies entirely on donations, grants, program fees, and volunteer contributions rather than equity or debt funding. The center has achieved several documented successes, including the 2023 release of two Amazonian manatees with a two-year monitoring program, the 2022 release of ocelot Daenerys, and the September 2025 release of Sonny the Giant Anteater as the first collared giant anteater in the Amazon Rainforest.

Name

RAREC - RAINFOREST AWARENESS RESCUE AND EDUCATION CENTER

Legal name

Rainforest Awareness Rescue Education Center

Website

https://rarec.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RAREC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center founded in 2011 near Iquitos, Peru, that rescues and releases Amazonian species, educates local communities, and funds operations through donations, sponsorships, volunteer programs, and merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release Centers (Public Viewing/Education) (THAAAFAC), Wildlife & Animal Care Volunteering (EDAIAGAE), Wildlife Sanctuaries & Rescue Centers (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Wildlife rescue services
• Animal rehabilitation programs
• Conservation education
• Volunteer programs
• Wildlife conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Iquitos

HQ country

Peru

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting wildlife conservation, with 100% of donations going directly to mission. One-time donations over $200 receive a plaque in the new biology building.
2. Animal Sponsorship: Monthly sponsorship programs for rescued animals where sponsors receive digital certificates, quarterly newsletters, photos, hand-made keychains, and fact sheets about sponsored animals
3. Nonprofit Shop: Sale of merchandise including clothing (t-shirts, hoodies, hats), collectibles, and framed posters. All income supports the mission.
4. Volunteer and Internship Programs: Fees for Animal Care Volunteer Program, Education Volunteer Program, Wildlife Conservation Internship, and Veterinary Internship. Includes accommodation, meals, airport transfers, and program activities.
5. One-Day Volunteering and Guided Tours: Donation fee of US$100 per person for one-day volunteering experiences; guided tours for groups available.
6. Fundraising Campaigns: Campaigns like 'Run for Release' to raise funds for specific animal releases and conservation projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

RAREC operates a 501(c)(3) licensed wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center near Iquitos in the Peruvian Amazon, providing care for orphaned, injured, and confiscated Amazonian species including manatees, ocelots, tapirs, anteaters, sloths, and primates. The center sells structured volunteer and internship programs (Animal Care, Education, Wildlife Conservation, Veterinary), animal sponsorships, one-day volunteering, guided tours, and a nonprofit merchandise shop, while running community education and conservation research projects including GPS collar post-release monitoring.

Product overview

RAREC (Rainforest Awareness Rescue and Education Center) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit wildlife rescue and conservation organization operating near Iquitos, Peru since 2011. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including animal sponsorship (manatees, sloths, monkeys, anteaters, ocelots, kinkajous), a nonprofit merchandise shop (eco hoodies, organic t-shirts, tote bags, hats, collectibles), volunteer programs (Animal Care, Education, Conservation Internship, Veterinary Internship), guided tours, one-day volunteering, and conservation projects (Manatee Tracking, Spider Monkey Island, Domestic Animal Campaign, Education Project). The center also runs fundraising campaigns like 'Run for Release' for specific animal rehabilitation releases. Donations are tax-deductible for US citizens via PayPal or bank transfer (Peru and USA). The organization operates on approximately $16,000/month for center upkeep.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animal Care Volunteer Program
• Education Volunteer Program
• Wildlife Conservation Internship Program
• Veterinary Internship Program
• One-Day Volunteering Experience
• Guided Tours
• Animal Sponsorship Program
• Nonprofit Shop - Clothing
• Nonprofit Shop - Collectibles

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully released first-ever Giant Anteater with GPS collar in Amazon Rainforest (Sonny, September 2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Animalover SolidaridadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Domestic Animal Care Campaign, providing essential treatments including medical checkups, first aid, deworming, and sterilization for pets and stray animals in local communities around Iquitos.
• Grand Amazon LodgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerServed as research base post-release for manatee monitoring, providing support for ongoing conservation research activities.
• Feline Conservation SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization supporting efforts to protect wild feline species in the Amazon region.
• National University of the Peruvian Amazon (UNAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution partner providing research collaboration and educational support for conservation programs.
• Institute for Wildlife Conservation (ICAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for GPS and VHF tracking collar deployment on released animals like Sonny the Giant Anteater, enabling groundbreaking post-release monitoring research.
• Arnaud Desbiez (Expert)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpert collaborator on soft release methods for Giant Anteater (Sonny), providing specialized knowledge for successful rewilding.
• Diogo de SouzacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmazonian manatee specialist providing expertise for manatee rescue, rehabilitation, and release programs.
• Sarah FarinellicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpert in manatee tracking and monitoring, contributing specialized knowledge for post-release research.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nashville Zoo: AZA-accredited zoo and a named RAREC partner funding manatee research. Comparable as a broader zoological institution that runs conservation programs and could absorb or replicate RAREC's niche initiatives.
• WWF Amazon Programme: Large global conservation organization with active Amazon programs. Comparable as a broader incumbent in wildlife conservation that could partner with or compete for the same donor pool.
• Busch Gardens Conservation Fund: Conservation funding arm of a major theme park and zoo operator, listed as a RAREC partner. Comparable as a larger institutional conservation funder active in Amazonian species protection.
• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO with significant Amazon and neotropical programs. Comparable as a large incumbent operating in the same geography and donor ecosystem.

Regional players

• Fundación Jocotoco: Ecuador-based conservation nonprofit operating reserves and conservation programs; comparable as a Latin American member/donor-supported NGO with reserve-based community work, though not a wildlife hospital.

Direct peers

• ARCAS Petén (Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center): ARCAS operates a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center in Guatemala that rescues, rehabilitates, and releases neotropical wildlife, including primates, birds, and reptiles. Direct comparable as a Latin American NGO running volunteer programs and release work similar to RAREC.
• CREA (Centro de Rescate Amazónico): CREA, operating out of Pilón Lajas Reserve in Bolivia, is an Amazonian wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center that releases rehabilitated native species. Most direct regional peer to RAREC for Amazon-specific rehab work.
• Jaguar Rescue Center (Costa Rica): Jaguar Rescue Center rehabilitates neotropical wildlife and sells guided tours, volunteer placements, and sponsorships. Direct competitor for the international volunteer/conservation-tourism audience that RAREC targets.
• Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT): WFFT runs a wildlife rescue center in Southeast Asia with paid volunteer and internship programs, animal sponsorship, and educational tours. Comparable in operating model and revenue mix even though geography differs.

Others

• Save the Manatee Club: US-based nonprofit focused on manatee conservation and a named RAREC partner. Comparable as a species-specific conservation NGO that funds rescue and research work, similar to RAREC's Manatee Tracking Project.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RAREC_Center
• Facebookfacebook.com/RarecCenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/rarec.center
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rarec

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about RAREC - RAINFOREST AWARENESS RESCUE AND EDUCATION CENTER