Animal Conservation

Promo // Catty Shack Ranch : Expansion Fundraiser from Keagan Anfuso on Vimeo.

Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Jacksonville, Florida, serving Duval, Saint Johns, Clay, Nassau and Baker counties. We are also proud to be a top destination for many national and international visitors. We are humbled and honored to be Trip Advisor’s #1 attraction in Jacksonville.

The mission of Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary is to provide a safe, loving and forever home to endangered big cats and to educate the public about their plight in the wild and in captivity. Our primary focus is in the rescue of exotic animals from serious situations. Once an animal arrives at Catty Shack Ranch, they have a loving, forever home for life. We do not breed, trade, sell, or buy any of our residents. The species under our care include Our current residents include tigers, lions, pumas, leopards, lynx, foxes, and coatimundis (the last two species being “honorary cats”

The Cockrell Butterfly Center and Brown Hall of Entomology provide entertainment and education for the whole family. Walk through a living butterfly habitat, marvel at spectacular live and preserved specimens of some of the world’s largest and weirdest arthropods, and enjoy interactive games and quizzes.

The Dallas Zoo began in 1888 with just two deer and two mountain lions in City Park. It later moved to Fair Park in 1909 and quickly outgrew its second home, moving to Marsalis Park in 1912, where it stands today. Throughout the past 128 years, numerous upgrades have been made and collections expanded. In 1955, the Dallas Zoological Society was established as a non-profit to support the Zoo. In 2009, a public-private partnership transitioned the Zoo to private management. Today, the Dallas Zoo is home to more than 2,000 animals, and is thriving with new exhibits such as the Giants of the Savanna, and the Koala Walkabout and Wonders of the Wild, both presented by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation. In 2017, the Simmons Hippo Outpost will open, returning these remarkable “river horses” to the Zoo for the first time in 15 years.

Inside the MVC’s environmental education building, colorful displays immerse you in the world of the manatee and its habitat. Others show how Big Bend Power Station generates electricity for the community in an environmentally responsible way. See some of the power station’s beneficially reusable byproducts. Inspect actual manatee bones and piece together puzzles. And before feeling the blast of a hurricane in the center’s simulator, find out more about hurricanes and how Tampa Electric prepares for and responds to major storms.

ButterflyOutside, stroll among award-winning butterfly gardens and Florida-friendly landscaping and see solar panels – the real-time output of which you can track inside the education building. You also can see a variety of native and coastal plant life as you stroll along the center’s tidal walk. Catch a glimpse of animals in the wild that make the center’s habitat their home.