Wildlife Survival Sanctuary Reviews

If you are in the area this is so worth the trip. Beautiful cats and lemurs. A few large lizards and emus. Small but worthwhile. The owners are very knowledgeable and care about the animals.

Very enjoyable time with an up close chance to see and learn about some endangered big cats. Its donation based.

This is a great place to spend a couple of hours getting close to nature. They take really good care of the animals and need all the donations they can get. You can get some really nice pics and they will help you get good pics also.

A couple of tigers, cougar, emu, and other wild cats have a safe and caring home here. Totally non-profit, animals that for a variety of reasons would not be able to survive in the wild, have quiet sancutary here in a safe and caring and nurturing environment. Open house events are held during the year, with a list of supplies on the website for donations (in lieu of admission). Financial donations are always welcome -- these big cats eat pounds of chicken per day. Typically visits are by appointment when there is no event, so be sure to call ahead.

This is a fascinating place. Lots of big cats and it's clear the animals were well cared for. We enjoyed the ring tailed lemurs, but the two big and beautiful Tigers were the hit of the visit. I found it interesting that the guides were French, but they spoke excellent English.y

We found 3 baby squirrels in our back yard. Finally a co-worker suggested this group. We drove 40 miles and arrived after hours but that made no difference. We were greeted at front gate by a very caring lady. She said sqirrels were 5 weeks old because their eyes just opened. The gatorade we gave them was the key to their survival for the 24 hours we kept them. She said they take in lots of animals in need. They currently house 50 animals. She tried to refuse my $15 donation but I insisted.

We had a really great experience this morning. The volunteers who work at the sanctuary are so sweet and knowledgeable. The animals are loved and cared for in a wonderful way. I will definitely be going back.

We live in Spring Hill and took our family to the Wild Life Sanctuary on a spur of the moment venture. We try to do a few things that are not theme park oriented when our teenage grandchildren visit and this was an excellent choice. We were all enthralled with the wildlife. Our amazing tour guide, Michael, made the visit an unforgettable experience. Can't wait to go back.

We visited this volunteer run sanctuary last month and had a great time. They do tours by appointment only. The tours are educational and informative. We saw several large cats including tigers, lemurs, ostriches, emu, turtles and a pot bellied pig. Would highly recommend visiting if in the area.

Very cool place at the Pasco/Hernando county line in the middle of "nowhere" Florida, but accessible from Tampa in just 45 minutes via the new Sunshine Expressway.

The tour lasts approximately 90 minutes and you will see panthers, lemurs, emus, tigers, and other exotic cats and animals closer than you would at a commercial zoo.

Tour was led by a couple of really nice young girls from, of all places, France. They are knowledgeable, but for our tour might have seemed rushed to beat the rain.

Would have appreciated more information on how the sanctuary got started, the histories of the animals that were there, and of course some data on both conservation and the problem of personal ownership of rare exotic animals. Perfect for teens/pre-teens who have an interest in animals.

All previous reviews are very accurate so read them for more info about what to expect during the excursion. Bring water and bug spray!

There is a donation jar in the office and everyone should pop a few bucks in as the place depends on donations and tour revenue to maintain the habitats.

This is a smaller animal rescue that we love. Have been there several times and love it. Go for the 6:30 feeding tour. Everyday but Sunday. Isbell the pig is the coolest. Look for coupon in living social.

This place is off S.R. 41 and, without GPS, might be a little difficult to find, HOWEVER it is well worth finding it! We booked a tour during the animals' dinner time and will definitely recommend it to others, with or without children. The owner and a volunteer
gave us a very thorough tour, answered all our questions, and the best part, took my camera to get me an up close and personal photo of each animal. I got some fantastic shots as a result!

We booked the tour for feeding time of the animals, which is 6 pm. In May, it's a little muggy, so wear insect repellent and close toed shoes (one of their requirements). The tour lasted about an hour and half. We saw 2 majestic Siberian tigers, leopards, bobcats, lemurs, emus, a giant turtle, a pot bellied pig, loads of crazy vultures that actually stole some of the food out of the back of the jeep and of course their little doggy that seems to run the place!

I can't say enough great things about this place. It's obviously run by very committed people passionate about what they do, on a shoe string budget. If you're looking for a zoo or some plastic Disney experience, this is not it. Go to those places and spend a fortune for a manufactured experience. This was very natural, the volunteers looked like they'd been working HARD all day taking care of exotic big cats that had been abused, locked up in cages or even home grown in someone's house. Some of the stories were just awful, but I'm so glad this Sanctuary exists!

The volunteers may not wear a plastic name tag or a pretty uniform, in fact ours were wearing tshirts, shorts and rubber boots as they covered a lot of ground (I think they have 10 acres), tending to animals that, although in enclosures for their protection, had A LOT of room to roam around and be comfortable.

They accept donations, and they earn every penny, so give generously!

There is also a little store, where you can buy photos of the animals for a couple of dollars. It also seems to operate as a thrift store, where you can buy donated items at a fraction of the cost and all the money goes toward the Sanctuary.

Bring some extra cash, and check out their website for items you can donate. They are in need of gift cards, even your half used ones, from Walmart, Publix, Lowes and Home Depot and bring those with you too. We took them a gallon of bleach and a box of vinyl gloves. They also need cat food, paper towels, fresh produce.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Wildlife Survival Sanctuary and highly recommend you visit.

You can tell the keepers really care about the animals here. I wish I would have brought more money to tip them. Admission is way cheaper than it should be for this place. Well cared for animals here.

If you are near Spring hill you have to stop at this sanctuary.
Great place with wonderful people.
I Was a volunteer for 6 weeks 7 years ago and I still have this place in my mind and in my heart ♥.

This was a great day out with the family. We brought a donation watermelons are always appreciated and spent several hours at least 3 there learning about the place how it got started and learning about the animals there. We were told how they got the animals they have and what they eat and any health issues they have along with there ages. The staff and owners were very informative and helped take some wonderful pictures. It’s clean well kept and these animals are loved you can see that. I highly recommend this sanctuary as a day out with the family. Wonderful people and beautiful animals.

Great, small, well run sanctuary, with very dedicated volunteers.We have visited a few different sanctuaries over the years, and this is one of the nicest, with very committed volunteers who conducted the tour and really seemed to care for all the animals there. We will definitely return...not fancy or flashy, but very nice, and glad we could help support in a small way.

This is a wonderful place the animals seem healthy and happy nice surroundings nice people
enjoyed our visit today and are going to go back soon

I brought my three three children in for a tour on a Saturday evening. The tour was guided by an exchange student who was very knowledgeable. We decided on the evening tour because that’s when they were doing the feedings. The tickets are extremely affordable and were able to be purchased through Groupon or you can make a donation as you leave your tour. As the guide explains about each animal there are two additional people feeding the animals. The guides ask you at each exhibit if you would like them to take an up close picture of each animal during the feeding in which case they will take your phone and take pictures within inches of the tigers and other large cats. All three kids including my two-year-old very interested in the animals. I cannot wait till we do it again very soon.

Me and my family had a wonderful time everyone was nice and looked like they enjoyed what they do with. The place is 100% volunteers running it no one is payed yet they are so compassionate about what’s going on and their goal to raise awareness on what happens in the world. The pictures you get are high Quality and if a animal likes close up pictures you can give your phone to a volunteer and they will take clove up pictures for you.

While it isn't a large place you can get closer to the animals than at the zoo or Busch Gardens. The caretakers have chicken wings to entice the cougars out and they will take your phone and get pictures o them with the enclosure in the way. We saw Cougars, Tigers, Lemurs, Emu, huge tortoise (they live 100 yr), A leopard the owner raised from a baby. Allthe animals look very well fed. Go visit -- you and the kids will enjoy it.

Not expensive to visit. Do need to make reservations. Ladies were very friendly and informative. Trip was about 2 hrs but you could get very close to cats but yet not reachable. Got awesome pictures and left with a new respect for the wild. Definitely a great family trip.

Being able to be so close to the cages. The cages are large and the animal can "hide" from observers.
They neuter or spay the animals. There is an excess of wild animal being held as pets. They rescue

Very good place to go see big cats. Awesome staff and the animals are well taken care of. So beautiful to sit and watch the tigers, leopards and other animals. Great place to bring the kids

They care so much for their animals and I loved hearing all of the stories and experiences they have endured through the years bringing these animals safety and giving them a wonderful life. Everyone there is so friendly and happy!

Great place for a walk and visit the animals without all the rush and noise of a zoo. Staff on hand to answer anything questions that you may have.

Truly appreciate the experience and dedication to the animals and visitors questions, all my family loved it which is saying a lot, they were not on there phone's except to take pictures. Thanks again.

This volunteer staffed facility has made a habitat for animals that have been rescued from sure death because of mistakes by silly unthinking owners who never think about "what do I do with my leopard after it grows up?" Great time to visit is the evening feeding time; be sure to call ahead because they do not feed them every day for the animals health.

This company is why the nature coast survives - God bless them. Not only to have the ultimate face to face encounter you get an much needed ecological education. They know their stuff. Thanks for making our trip wade. Tricia, Peter are THE BEST!

This isn’t a landscaped high tech “zoo” but it is a kind, friendly and well-educated staff. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. The rescues are in the most natural Florida environment and well cared for. Thank you for your care.

Their website lacks information and usefulness. It's a great experience once you get inside the gates though. When you arrive there is a gate without any signs. I called when I pulled in not knowing what to do since it appeared to be locked. Someone came out to open the gate to let me in. I had a small baby with me, we brought his stroller along. We had no issues pushing the stroller around on the trails. I enjoyed the variety of animals and the knowledge the girl that led our tour had. We were able to be up close and personal to some pretty amazing animals. We were there during feeding time, so we watched all the animals eat their meals. It was pretty amazing to see how quickly some of the animals swallowed down a whole piece of chicken- bones and all. Well worth the trip.

Our family of 12 visited today & loved it. The totally volunteer run facility is incredible. The staff is extremely helpful, very friendly & knowledgeable concerning all the animals, how they came to be placed at the sanctuary, their habitat both here & the wild. The animals are very well cared for. We were able to be close enough to see very well, but never felt in danger. Would definitely recommend to families of all ages.

If you’re around, you should definitely book a visit !
If you’re not in the area, you should plan a trip there ;-)
I was able to see the feeding, and I can not express enough gratitude for their dedication towards the lovely (big) cats.
Go see them and you’ll understand what I mean.

We had a great tour at the sanctuary. We came for dinner time and the tour was available on groupon or free with a donation . The acreage is small but there are quite a few large cats (tigers, jaguar, Cougars, leopards, and more) along with lemurs, emu, pig, small cats and several other animals. The caretakers are volunteers and clearly care for the animals. The animals all appeared very content and well cared for. Great for people of all ages- bring mosquito repellant at dusk.

SOS is beyond unique, due to the passion, hard work and dedication of the owner Judy Watson. Don't let her age or petiteness fool you, she is a physically strong, well informed, smart woman with an important goal. To save animals that have been abused.
The lioness, many tigers, tortoises, monkey, goats, snakes, etc that are housed here are protected from harm in well kept enclosures, healthy food, clean water and medical needs.
Walking aroung the enclosures and getting up close to these magnificent animals is something I won't soon forget. Judy is extremely knowledgable and shared that knowledge with us.
Volunteers help with the animals, but she relys on donations and grants to maintain the sanctuary. It is obvious the money they get goes right to the animals, as her volunteers and her build the enclosures themselves, make all repairs, maintain the grounds, being payed with only the satisfaction of helping an animal in need.

I personally brought a group of special needs individuals here with work and it was great. Our two guides were very informative and seemed excited to share all their knowledge of the different animals with us. We got to see all of the animals they had to offer including Tigers, Lemurs, Panthers, Emu and more! It is recommended to schedule a tour before visiting!

This is a nicely run private animal sanctuary. The owner and volunteers are really friendly and gave us a great tour on a gloomy afternoon. It was great to have our own personal group tour that just asks for donations that are all put towards the animals. There are many big cats that they all feed during our personal hour long hour. It was very cool to see the animals much closer than you would at the zoo. Great activity to do with the kids. Call ahead for tours ahead of time.

This animal shelter is to visit absolutely. Big (for exemple tigers) and small (foŕ exemple lemurs) animals have enough space for their well-being in this very shady ground. The people who lead the tours will tell you about each of them, taking into account the character and needs of each of them.
A nice and instructive visit !

We were a party of 10 and we were able to tour the area on our own and with a guide. The animals are so beautiful. It would be wonderful if they could be free, but this is the next best thing for them. They seemed to be very happy. We enjoyed the experience and the people were all very kind and helpful.

The sanctuary is small and you can tell they do not have a lot of money. What they do have is plenty of love for the animals. The tour was very interesting and the guide was great. All the big cats are cared for and are very lucky to have ended up at this facility for the rest of their lives. From the tortoises, iguanas and lemurs to the big cats, watching the interactions with the owner of the facility (guide) and the animals is heart warming. You won't regret spending a couple of hours touring the Wildlife Survival Sanctuary.

We visited and enjoyed the animals on an evening feeding tour. Most are older animals who were victims of poor human choices. The cages appeared very clean. The tour itself was stretched a little too long, especially for the young kids in the group (and a loud crabby grandma) who were getting bored, restless and distracting as the narrator lingered at each cage. It took around 2 hours to see 10 or so cages of animals. We had to walk through tall grass/weeds to our knees a good bit which was itchy, if you have tall boots wear them. Stay near the guide to hear the stories and learn.

Come for a walk by Susie the mother of the owner...she knows all the residents by name and habits. Yes, exotic cats...you can no longer have one in Florida. A 501 C 3. European volunteers pay to volunteer here for a week to a month or more. Emu, lemurs, pigs, ostrich, cougar, leapord. Small but unique gift shop. Reservations needed. Hidden Florida.

This is a very humble place. The sanctuary doesn't have a lot of money but they work very hard to care for the animals. We got our tickets on GroupOn but all the money goes to a good cause either way. Our tour gave us closer view of these large animals than I've ever had. We took the morning tour since it was August. It took a while at the gate (which isn't easy to find). We called on my cell phone and waited five minutes for a gal to walk up and open the gate for us. At first glance we saw some empty looking cages and a lot of overgrown grass and bushes. Once our tour began we realized that every cage had an occupant but they weren't easy to spot. Most were laying down in the shade or their shelters. Our guide took us to each animal and explained who they were, how they came to be at the shelter, and answered any questions they had. To lure some of the big cats out she gave them blood popsicles. Pretty gross but the cats loved them! I took a lot of photos but she offered to take some for me since she could get a lot closer. She held my cell phone right up to the chain link fence and took several photos that turned out really great! In addition to several large cats we saw ostriches, lemurs, and iguanas. We were able to pet the resident pot belly pig wandering the property and pet the large African Spiny Thighed Tortoise named Rufus.

Afterward we went to the small trailer which is their office and were allowed to each choose a laminated photo of one of the animals. It was a very non-commercialized experience and a really special trip.

THINGS TO KNOW:

Go early if it's going to be hot. You will be more comfortable and the animals will be more active.

Wear shoes that can get dirty.

Wear sunscreen and bug spray.

Bring drinks.

Take allergy meds if you're sensitive to walking in the grass.

You will be in tall grass and near a lot of bushes and scrub bush. A giant grasshopper crawled up my leg. This isn't a place for fancy clothes or high heels. One of the people in our group was on a mobility scooter so it possible to get around there without walking, you just won't get as close to the animals.

A little out of the way BUT A GREAT PLACE the kids will love it.The animals are confined but in HUGE natural like encloses.
Just about every large cat you can imagine accept lions.
the place is kept in immaculate condition. Although there is a souvenir stand only small snacks were available as food.
Sadly, I recently discovered that the owners prized panther whom he had raised and loved for over 16 years passed away. Although the personal Love he has for all his animals is outstanding. The donation entrance fee is cheap for the for the that type of enjoyment. The sanctuary is non profit and depends mostly on public donations.

This was such a treat for us! The owner of the sanctuary is incredibly nice and generous to open up his facility to guests. He has some of the most beautiful exotic animals there. They seem to be very well cared for and the volunteers are very nice and informative. I highly recommend this spot to any animal lovers!

I have been 3 times to the Wildlife Survival Sanctuary for a total of 13 months and I will definitely go back. The dedication and care that the owners provide to these animals is truly amazing. These animals are definitely in the best place they could be to spend their happy lives. We need more places like this one to help and protect wildlife.

This place is so wonderful but hard to find - worth the trouble to get a tour. The owners and volunteers love their residents and care for them like family. The animals who find their way to this sanctuary are the lucky ones. Bring cash and donations and be generous. These people truly make a difference. Thank you for your hard dedicated work and play of refuge for these animals.

This was such a great experience for the whole family!! Our tour guide, Michael, was the absolute best. We arrived early and he showed us the animals, and the grounds before feeding time. He is so knowledgeable, and we learned so much. Thank you Michael! Don't miss this hidden gem. My grandchildren thought this was one of the best stops on our vacation!!

The Wildlife Survival Sanctuary is a fantastic place to visit and to learn about different animals. The caretakers and volunteers are most friendly. The animals and their environment are well-taken care off and they receive regular enrichment to keep them healthy and happy. Worth a visit!

Wether it's the morning tour, or the feeding tour, you should definitely check this place out. It's a great place to teach people of all ages about wild animals and the fact that they should not be pets. The rescued big cats, lemurs, emus, tortoises, pig and domestic cats are all very well cared for and you get to see them closely.

By far one of the best sanctuaries! Though small, it is extremely clean, the animals are lovingly well cared for. Their health concerns are adresses, they are well fed and look amazing! The habitats are large and mimic the wild.
The keepers are well versed in the animals behaviors, diets, and conservation. They answer all questions happily. Will take a bunch of close-up phone shots for you even though you are only a couple feet away.
Definitely don't miss going to this place! $20 per couple. Discounts available on Groupon but be sure to make an extra so action if you can.

This is a very small Sanctuary and is a volunteer and only, It has a small amount of exotic animals, It is well kept very tiny and far away from us we live in south tampa. but took the trip.The animals are very well taken care of and look very healthy we found this on Living Social

Nice people great visit Bengal tigers mountain lions emu's great crowd of lemurs a lot of fun great visit for children they do a lovely job

So many Beautiful Animals. The location is convenient and the price of admission, was fair. I would tell all Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Parents. Go at least once. Nice petty zoo also

Need to call and make an appointment. Volunteers care for these animals, small but close up to the big cats. Hard to find new things for teen grandkids to do. They enjoyed the potbelly pig, turtles, etc but the feeding the big cats so close they really enjoyed. meeting the volunteers and understanding they were doing this work without pay because they love animal was good for them. Donation is the only cost.

Love it. I keep going bI keep going back and supporting them as much as I can. I will be doing more soon, I hope you will visit .ack and supporting them as much as I can. I will be doing more soon, I hope you will visit and support them as much as possible.

My final day in Tampa friend and I visited and toured this Wildlife Sanctuary. I marveled at the understanding, care, and concern the volunteers give to these animals cast out because people can't care for them any longer or breeding didn't produce the desired effect; the list goes on. These animals, from the iguanas to the lemurs to the big cats are well taken care of and given the best chance of survival in a habitat as natural to them as possible plus are in caring hands. These people know the characteristics, habits, and names of each. The visit was certainly eye opening and well worth the fee. Donations are taken. You will be impresses and amazed. It is time well worth spent. Note ~ it seems tours are done during feeding times for possible viewing.

Really interesting, great tour not rushed and all is explained. The animals are well cared for and really beautiful. You watch them being fed and how they interact. Pictures with animals available to.

We took the 10:00 tour because it is summer and the animals do not like to be active but our guides did everything in their power to coax them out. All of the animals appear to be very well cared for. Their cages are quite large and they have many toys to keep them occupied. We saw tigers, cougars, sarval, lemurs, ostrich, emus, tortoise, pot belly pig. One of the tigers was hand raised from 1 week old and clearly has a strong attachment to her surrogate mother. He went into the cage with her and got her to play and rubbed her tummy when she asked. It was very touching to me. I highly recommend this place but I would recommend you go in the winter or very early spring when the weather is cooler because the animals will be much more active. Either way it is a great experience.

This place was recommended to us. We chose the night feeding tour. There are not enough stars to rate this place. The tour guides were very nice, informative and patient. You can tell that they really love not only what they do but the animals. They conducted the tour with respect to the animals. I could go on and on about this place. The owner is amazing and you can tell that he loves and cares for all of these animals above and beyond. It was an amazing experience that our whole family enjoyed and can't stop talking about. This is a must see!!! Loved it - thank you

Visited in Feb 2019 with my almost 5 year old son and my parents. You have to schedule a tour in advance. And you just need to go on Groupon where you can purchase a voucher to visit. It was only $33 for all of us to go when we did. Im not sure if that price fluctuates. But it was well worth the fee. The girls who did our tour ( I wish I could remember their names ) were super friendly and knowledgeable about the animals. The cats are gorgeous. We did a morning tour and got great pics of them. If you love big cats, you will love going here. we were there for about 2 hours with the tour lasting about 1.5 of that. There is a small gift shop with pictures of the animals ( 1 was included in my groupon voucher. ), keychains.. shirts.. and empty emu eggs!

Beautiful well cared for cats, up close and personal. Volunteer staff very friendly! They even took pictures of the animals through the fence for us. One if the best places on our vacation. Loved it.

This is not a zoo, or professionally run facility. It is a hobby farm run by some very passionate animal lovers. Their commitment to these animals that otherwise would be put down is obvious. However, the facilities are run down, the bathroom is deplorable, and it is run on a shoestring budget. If you go in knowing that, you will enjoy seeing the animals, but for someone with small kids it was a challenge.

Unlike one area "sanctuary" in the news lately, this one seems to really care about their animals. Two beautiful tigers set off the facility. There are also leopards a puma and other cats. Also, there are lemurs, emus and few other different sheltered residents. The owner enters the cage of one leopard he raised from a cub and demonstrates the bond the two have. Of unusual interest is a cat/bobcat. Apparently, it was a mating between a feral common house cat and a bobcat. Strange looking creature and quite amazing, particularly since the mother was the house cat. Ouch! Of course the offspring, being a different species is probably infertile. Occasionally, you may find a Groupon or LivingSocial discount but paying full price helps the sanctuary more. I believe they have two guided tours a day and a volunteer program. This was our second visit.

Mostly older exotic cats, emus, turtles, iguanas, lemurs and an obstinate pig in fairly spacious enclosures.

Owner’s wife conducted the tour was intimately familiar with everything.

Only cautions were the high weeds, and fire anthills. Boots would have been more appropriate footwear.

We found this little place on Groupon. You do have to call and schedule a tour. When you arrive, call to let them know you are there so the gate can be unlocked. Clara was our personal tour guide. It shows that she really loves the place and the animals. She personally knew each animal and told us stories. A hidden gem.

What an awesome tour! Knowledgeable tour guide - informative - the cats were beautiful - a must see!

The owners Jim and Salvina have such a passion for these animals. They go above and beyond to take care of the animals both physically and mentally. They have natural big enclosures and do so many extras for the animals and the guests that come out to visit. Definitely worth the trip. Take the time to go see a little wild in the city.

This place is small, with a very limited budget. They are doing the best that they can with the very limited funds that they have available to them. The animals seem to be well taken care of. The guides were competent and very into what they were doing. I'm totally sure that they could do a lot more with an increase in funding.

I loved the place is very clean and the staff is very kind and have a good take care of the animals.

We have been visiting my parents, coming from Toronto, and this sanctuary has been one of the highlights of our visit to the Spring Hill area and the region around Tampa. We were given a tour of the sanctuary by volunteer guides who clearly love each animal and have a passionate commitment to the sanctuary. We learned an incredible amount, while enjoying our time of being around the big cats and lemurs, especially. We particularly became attached to the leopards, cougars and tigers--each of whom was individualized for us by the guides who told us their unique stories. It was great to see how the animals are not only well loved but also are kept in surprisingly large and intricately interlinked cages. This place is a must-see for families who love animals!