Las Pumas Rescue Center With Kids
Costa Rica's Best Wildlife Sanctuary
By Anna Kleber-Yilmaz | 7 minutes to read | Updated June 2026
Jaguars. Pumas. Ocelots. All five of Costa Rica’s wild cat species, rescued and cared for — and your kids get to see them all.
At a Glance
WILD CAT SPECIES
All 5 Species
Jaguar, puma, ocelot + more
ENTRY
Donation-Based
~$10–15 suggested
HOURS
8am – 4pm
Daily, year-round
VISIT DURATION
1–1.5 hours
20+ enclosures
STROLLER ACCESS
Yes
Flat, wide paths
Why Las Pumas Is a Hidden Gem for Families
Most visitors to Northern Costa Rica rush between La Fortuna and Guanacaste without stopping in Cañas. That’s a mistake — because just 4.5 km north of town, Las Pumas Rescue Center quietly runs one of the most remarkable wildlife programs in Central America.
Founded by the late Swiss conservationist Lilly Bodmer de Hagnauer in the 1960s, Las Pumas has spent decades rescuing injured, orphaned, and non-releasable wildlife confiscated from illegal trade. The result is an intimate rescue center that is simultaneously a genuine sanctuary and the best wildlife encounter in the region. No performing animals. No tourist theater. Just rescued cats, birds, primates, and other wildlife, cared for by a dedicated team funded entirely by visitor donations.
For families, this is extraordinary — your children will stand a few feet from a jaguar, watch a puma pace, and learn about the real threats facing Costa Rica’s wildlife from the people actively fighting those threats every day.
This Center Runs Entirely on Donations
Las Pumas receives no government funding. Every meal, every veterinary procedure, every enclosure repair comes from visitor donations and private contributions. Please give generously — suggested donation is $10–15/adult and $5/child. You can also donate to animal sponsorship programs at the center.
The Animals at Las Pumas: All 5 Wild Cat Species
The center is most famous for housing all five of Costa Rica’s native wild cat species — a feat unmatched by any other facility in the country. Here’s what your family will see:
JAGUAR
NEAR THREATENED
Costa Rica’s largest wild cat — and the largest in the Americas. Las Pumas’ resident jaguars are typically non-releasable animals that were confiscated from the illegal pet trade. Seeing a jaguar at close range is a genuinely visceral experience that puts their sheer size in perspective.
PUMA
LEAST CONCERN
Also called mountain lions or cougars — pumas are the second-largest cats in the Americas. Highly adaptable and found from Patagonia to Canada, they’re more commonly rescued in Costa Rica due to human-wildlife conflict near farmland. The pumas at Las Pumas are often active and visible.
OCELOT
LEAST CONCERN
Spotted, nocturnal, and extraordinarily beautiful — ocelots were heavily hunted for their fur in the 20th century. Today they face habitat loss. The ocelots at Las Pumas are mesmerizing, and because they’re active in the mornings, your visit timing greatly affects what you see.
MARGAY
NEAR THREATENED
Smaller than the ocelot but similarly patterned, margays are remarkable climbers that can rotate their hind ankles 180° to descend trees headfirst. They’re highly secretive in the wild — Las Pumas offers a rare opportunity to see one up close. Kids are often surprised by how small and cat-like they are.
JAGUARUNDI
LEAST CONCERN
The most un-cat-like of Costa Rica’s wild cats — jaguarundis look more like a large weasel with a long tail and small head. They’re diurnal (active during the day), making them easier to observe. A genuinely strange and fascinating animal that surprises most visitors who expect something more conventionally feline.
Beyond the Cats — Other Wildlife at the Center
Las Pumas is a full wildlife rescue center, not just a cat sanctuary. The 20+ enclosures also house:
- Tapirs — Costa Rica’s largest land mammals, endangered and rarely seen in the wild
- White-tailed deer — often rescued as fawns after their mothers were killed
- Spider monkeys and capuchin monkeys — confiscated from the pet trade
- Scarlet macaws and other parrots — also victims of the illegal bird trade
- Various raptors — hawks, owls, and other injured birds of prey
- Coatis and other small mammals — often brought in as orphans
Book the Wild Path Tour: For families with children 8 and older, the Wild Path Tour guided by the center’s head biologist is exceptional. It goes deeper into animal behavior, rescue stories, and conservation context that turns a wildlife visit into an educational experience. Book at the center on arrival — spots are limited.
Getting & Being There
Location
Las Pumas sits 4.5 km north of Cañas on the Interamerican Highway (Route 1), heading toward Liberia. The entrance is well-signed from the highway. There is a small parking area at the entrance.
Cañas sits roughly at the midpoint between La Fortuna (approx. 50 minutes east) and Liberia/Guanacaste (approximately 40 minutes northwest). This makes Las Pumas a natural stop on the route between the two regions — which is exactly how we include it in our 7-day itinerary. No detour required.
Visiting With Very Young Children
Unlike most nature activities in Northern Costa Rica, Las Pumas is genuinely accessible for families with babies and toddlers. The paths between enclosures are flat, paved or hard-packed, and wide enough for a standard stroller. There are shaded areas near many enclosures. The visit takes 1–1.5 hours at a comfortable pace, which is well within most toddlers’ attention spans (especially with a jaguar to stare at).
The enclosures have proper fencing — there’s no risk of children reaching animals, and the design is set up so animals can retreat to private areas when they want space. Staff are experienced with families and will happily explain each animal’s story to children at an age-appropriate level.
Highlights for Families at Las Pumas Rescue Center
A MEMORABLE ENCOUNTER
THE JAGUAR UP CLOSE
Standing a few feet from one of Costa Rica’s jaguars — understanding their size, their patterns, the way they move — is something children remember vividly. This is a once-in-a-trip experience that no zoo replicates.
A SURPRISING SPECIES
WEASEL TURNED JAGUAR
Most visitors have never heard of the jaguarundi before visiting. Its strange weasel-like shape sparks wonderful curiosity in children — and because it’s diurnal, it’s almost always active and visible during your visit.
PREDATORS CLOSE UP
THE WILD PATH TOUR
For older children and teens, the guided Wild Path Tour with the head biologist transforms a wildlife visit into an authentic lesson in conservation biology. The stories of individual animals — how they were rescued, why they can’t be released — are genuinely moving.
Practical Information
Everything you need to plan before you go – logistics, packing, and the things most guides don’t tell you.
Logistics
- Open daily 8am – 4pm, year-round
- Entrance by donation (~$10–15 adults, ~$5 kids)
- No advance booking needed (except Wild Path Tour)
- Located 4.5km north of Cañas on Route 1 (Interamerican Hwy)
- Small parking area at entrance
- Allow 1–1.5 hours for self-guided visit
What to Bring
- Cash for donations (USD or colones both accepted)
- Sunscreen and hats — some areas have limited shade
- Water for the family — no café on-site
- Stroller is fine — paths are flat and accessible
- Camera with zoom for best animal portraits through enclosure fencing
- Insect repellent for any exposed skin
What We Loved Most
A WORTHWILE MISSION
A REAL RESCUE CENTER
This isn’t a performance venue or a tourist attraction. It’s a working rescue center where animals are genuinely being cared for. That authenticity — the unhurried pace, the staff who know each animal personally — makes the experience feel important in a way a zoo rarely does.
STUNNED BY NATURE
JAGUARS UP CLOSE
Photographs do not prepare you for how large a jaguar is in person. Watching one pace its enclosure — relaxed, enormous, utterly indifferent to our presence — was one of the most powerful wildlife moments of the entire trip.
JUST YOU AND THE CATS
PEACE
Las Pumas gets a fraction of the visitors that the more commercial attractions do. We had the ocelot and margay enclosures almost entirely to ourselves. There’s no rush, no tour group herding you along, no noise. Just you, the animals, and a sense of genuine gratitude that places like this exist.
Planning a trip to La Fortuna?
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7-Day Northern Costa Rica Family Itinerary
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Hanging Bridges La Fortuna Guide
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Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. Las Pumas is one of the most underrated family stops in Northern Costa Rica. Children get to see 5 big cat species — including jaguars and pumas — at close range, along with other rescued wildlife including tapirs, deer, birds, and primates. The setting is intimate and educational, and the donation-based model means your visit directly supports animal welfare.
Las Pumas operates on a donation basis — there is no fixed entry fee. Suggested donations are approximately $10–15 per adult and $5 per child. The center is entirely funded by visitor donations and private contributions, so giving generously directly supports the animals' care.
Las Pumas is located approximately 4.5 km north of Cañas, on the Interamerican Highway heading toward Liberia. It's well-signposted from the highway. Cañas is roughly 50 minutes from La Fortuna and 40 minutes from Liberia, making it an ideal stop on the route between these destinations.
The center is home to all 5 of Costa Rica's wild cat species: jaguar, puma, ocelot, margay, and jaguarundi. Beyond the big cats, you'll also find rescued tapirs, white-tailed deer, coatis, spider monkeys, capuchins, scarlet macaws, various raptors, and other injured or non-releasable wildlife — around 60+ animals across 20+ enclosures.
Yes — the paths between enclosures at Las Pumas are flat and wide enough for a standard stroller. It's a much more accessible visit than many of the nature trails in the region. Even very young children can comfortably tour the whole center. Shade is limited in some areas, so bring sun hats and sunscreen.
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