About Us
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We are Valeska and Matthijs Kuijpers, the founders of this sanctuary. After many visits to Suriname, making new friends, and authoring a comprehensive book on the reptiles of the Guianas, we decided to make a life-changing move to this incredible country in 2024 to pursue our dream
We acquired 5 hectares (about 10 acres) of secondary tropical forest, complete with a serene creek flowing through it.
Since then, we've been busy building our wooden home, creating comfortable
accommodations for eco-volunteers, planting a permaculture food forest, and constructing natural
habitat enclosures for the indigenous wildlife. As word spread about our mission, people began
bringing injured animals to us, and our vision gradually grew into what is now the Suriname Wildlife Sanctuary.
At the Suriname Wildlife Sanctuary we believe in the right and protection of animals. Our project is home
to a variety of animals that are injured, to young, abandoned, traumatized or to tame to be released back
into the wild.
Our goal is to create a place where people can learn about the lesser-known native species of Suriname. To bring this vision to life, we invite eco-volunteers to join us. This opportunity offers you the chance to live, learn, and explore the wonders of the Surinamese rainforest while contributing directly to our mission of wildlife care and education.
We are both trained and certified in animal care, and Valeska is a licensed veterinarian nurse.
Matthijs has authored books on the wildlife of the Guianas and is an internationally acclaimed wildlife photographer,
with his work featured in prestigious publications like National Geographic, Geo, Terre Sauvage, and many others.
Our sanctuary also houses an impressive library, which our guests are welcome to explore—whether for study or simply out of curiosity. We look forward to welcoming you to our jungle paradise, where you can experience the magic of Suriname’s wildlife up close and help us make a real difference.The Suriname Wildlife Sanctuary is a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation and animal rescue that focuses heavily on conservation and education. ​​