Inti Wara Yassi

Inti Wara Yassi is volunteer non-profit organization from Bolivia whose goal is the protection of vulnerable animals and the rehabilitation of imprisoned animals. The name is coined from three Indian languages meaning sun, moon, and star in the Quechua, Aymara and Guarani languages.

The organization was founded in 1992 by Juan Carlos Antezana. The organization was founded to teach poor and orphaned children how to support themselves and their families. He took the children on many trips around Bolivia where they saw the devastation caused by the impact of man upon nature (deforestation and animal abuse). He and the children decided to take action so they founded their first animal refuge in Parque Machia in Villa Tunari near Cochabamba.

Most of the animals in the refuge have been bought on the black market and many of them are endangered. They have often been kept in small cages, with little or no protection from the elements. Many are malnourished and some badly abused. The refuge houses about 200 monkeys, dozens of tropical birds and wild cats like pumas, jaguars and ocelots.

The refuge is run by Tania Baltazar (Nena), and several other permanent Bolivian volunteers. They are aided by nonpermanent volunteers who come from all over the world for a minimum of two weeks. Volunteers care for animals, clean and build cages, prepare food, tend to sick animals, create new trails, and give explanations to tourists.

In 2001 the organization founded another refuge, Parque Ambue Ari, in the north of the country in a village called Santa Maria near Guayaros. The purchase of this land was funded by donations from British gap year company Quest Overseas.

Communidad Inti Wara Yassi today has branches in North America, England, Switzerland and Israel, all founded and run by volunteers of the animal refuge.