Adopt an Animal
The Busch Wildlife Sanctuary's Adopt-An-Animal Program offers a unique way for supporters to contribute to the care of the Sanctuary's resident animal ambassadors through symbolic adoptions. This program enables caring individuals to "adopt" an animal by making a donation, which directly supports the well-being of the residents housed at the sanctuary. Participants receive a certificate of adoption and educational materials about their chosen animal, making it a meaningful gift and a chance to help the Sanctuary raise essential funds for animal care, rehabilitation, and conservation efforts.
Tahmahlah the Cougar
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Tahmahlah is here at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary after he was orphaned in a California forest fire in September 2015 at just 4 months old. He was brought to us from another facility about a year later because we had more space and could provide a better quality of life.
Tahmahlah suffered burns to his paw pads in the wildfire, which led to permanent nerve damage, and burns to his face that affected his eyesight. Because of these injuries, Tahmahlah wouldn’t be able to navigate himself in the wild and was deemed non-releasable.
Though technically a California Cougar, Tahmahlah represents the Florida Panther — the most endangered cat in North America with less than 200 left in the wild. Panthers, cougars, pumas, and mountain lions all belong to the same family but differ in physical characteristics based on their habitats. The Florida Panther, for example, is smaller and has darker coloration throughout its body compared to the California Cougar.
Kiona the Black Bear
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Tehya and her sister Kiona were orphaned as cubs. Mama Bear was known for going into neighborhoods and digging in the trash, which is dangerous for humans and bears. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission attempted to relocate the bear family several times, but Mama Bear kept returning to residential areas, was deemed a “nuisance bear” and humanely euthanized.
The cubs learned this dumpster diving behavior and were deemed non-releasable. Tehya & Kiona, now about 18 years old, have been at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary ever since!
The Florida Black Bear is the only species of bear found in the state. There is an estimated population of about 4,000 in the wild. One thing to always remember: a FED bear is a DEAD bear! Once a bear realizes that humans can be a food source, they are considered a nuisance animal and have to be removed or euthanized.
Freddy the American Alligator
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Freddy has been at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary longer than any other animal ambassador! A boy found Freddy’s egg in 1983 and hatched it prematurely, which caused her to suffer developmental and cognitive defects.
Freddy can only open her mouth about 4 inches and can’t catch her own food. She’s also smaller than other alligators her age — she should be anywhere from 8-10 ft. long but is only about 6'7.
Florida is the only place in the nation where you can find both alligators and crocodiles. There are over one million alligators in Florida, often found in freshwater lakes, ponds, and canals. Alligators are generally afraid of people as long as they are left alone. Most problems occur when people feed alligators, which is illegal. It only takes one instance for an alligator to associate people as food sources, which is dangerous for both people and the alligators
Einstein the Skunk
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Einstein is the only Striped Skunk at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Einstein's mom was found dead outside of a resident's home in Tennessee. The residents, unaware having a pet skunk is illegal in Tennessee, took Einstein to a vet who removed the glands a skunk needs to spray their defense mechanism.
When a skunk is descented, it renders the skunk defenseless and unable to protect themselves from predators. Once the residents learned it was illegal to have Einstein, they contacted Busch Wildlife, and we’ve had him ever since.
Skunks would not make good house pets for many reasons. They are nocturnal, have long nails and sharp teeth, and are often very destructive. But, skunks are very important to our environment and benefit humans in a few ways by eating unwanted pests such as moles, insects, mice, animal carcasses, and even venomous snakes!
Spooky the Virginia Opossum
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Spooky is one of the Virginia Opossums at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Spooky got her name because she was brought to us as a surrendered pet a few days before Halloween. She is too reliant on humans to be released.
Virginia Opossums are the only marsupials found in North America. Opossums have opposable thumbs on their back feet and a strong, prehensile tail which helps them climb trees and latch onto branches.
Opossums do not make good household pets. They’re nocturnal and solitary animals. Many opossums kept as pets are unhealthy and overweight because they have specific dietary needs. Opossums require plenty of calcium and, without enough, are at risk for metabolic bone disease and intestinal issues. Opossums are also used to traveling up to half a mile foraging for food, which gives them plenty of exercise.
Atilla the Osceola Turkey
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Atilla is one of the Wild Turkeys at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Atilla and her siblings, Nick and Roz, were brought to our wildlife rehabilitation center as eggs. Our staff incubated the eggs and waited for the birds to hatch. Since they were hatched in captivity, it was decided to keep the turkeys at the Sanctuary as educational ambassadors to teach the public about their species.
Female turkeys are not as ostentatious as males. The female is slimmer and duller looking, with a blue-gray head and neck that lacks the prominent red caruncles found on a male’s throat.
Here in Florida, we have a specific subspecies of Wild Turkey called the Osceola Turkey that is only found here. Unregulated turkey hunting once threatened the species, but conservation efforts and more regulated hunting practices have been ongoing since the 1970s, and the Wild Turkey population is now thriving.
Paisley the Bobcat
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Paisley and her siblings Penelope & Porter, known as the Three Ps, have been at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary for about 10 years. The three were brought to us as orphaned kittens — they were so little they hadn’t even opened their eyes yet!
Because the Three Ps had been separated from their mother so young, this caused them to imprint, a condition where animals form an extremely close and dependent bond with the first animal or person they see after being born. Paisley, Penelope, & Porter all became too reliant on humans to be released back into the wild.
Paisley also only has three legs, which would make her vulnerable to predators and more difficult to hunt food in the wild.
Though the bobcat may look like a domestic cat, it is definitely a wild animal. The Florida Bobcat is named for its short “bobbed” tail, which is an adaption that helps in catching prey in open fields. Bobcats typically live in solitude, only associating with other bobcats to mate. These cats have excellent eyesight and hearing to hunt their food.
Baston the Bobcat
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Baston is our biggest and oldest Florida Bobcat at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary! He’s here with us because a couple found him as a kitten, assumed he was a house cat, and tried to keep him as a pet. When the couple realized a few weeks later that he was a bobcat kitten, he was brought to the Sanctuary. Baston had not received proper nutrition and was slightly malnourished. Because he was acclimated to people so young, he is now too reliant on humans for survival and is not releasable.
Baston is easy to spot at our Sanctuary because he has a slightly downturned ear! Though the bobcat may look like a domestic cat, it is definitely a wild animal.
The Florida Bobcat is named for its short “bobbed” tail, which is an adaption that helps in catching prey in open fields. Bobcats typically live in solitude, only associating with other bobcats to mate. These cats have excellent eyesight and hearing to hunt their food.
Stu the Black Bellied Whistling Duck
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Stu the Black-bellied Whistling Duck is one of our well-known animal ambassadors and can be heard across the Sanctuary! Stu was raised by a local resident, who did a great job caring for him, but Stu’s whistling calls became too disruptive for nearby neighbors. The woman brought Stu to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, where our staff housed him with other ducks to “wild him up” and eventually released them all together.
It didn’t take long for Stu to find his way back to people. Stu was spotted at a garage sale, and then attending services at a local church. It was clear Stu had imprinted on humans and wouldn’t do well in the wild, so we brought him back to the Sanctuary.
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks can be seen year-round in Florida. As their name suggests, the Black-bellied Whistling Duck is a boisterous, social bird with an unmistakable call.
Pumpkin Spice the
Eastern Screech Owl
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Pumpkin Spice is one of the Eastern Screech Owls at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Pumpkin Spice was brought into our wildlife rehabilitation center where our staff discovered she had a wing injury and impaired vision. Although we don’t know how Pumpkin Spice was wounded, these injuries are permanent and she was deemed non-releasable.
The Eastern Screech Owl is the smallest of all the native Florida owls. Most are about 6 inches tall but could reach up to 10 inches. These owls get their name from the “screech” noise they make when they’re alerted or curious about something.
These owls have small “horns” on the top of their heads that aren’t horns or ears. Instead, they are just tufts of feathers called plumicorns that they can raise to look fierce to their prey, camouflage into trees, or communicate with other owls.
Schmo the Great Horned Owl
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Schmo is one of the Great Horned Owls at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Schmo was brought into our wildlife rehabilitation center with an injured wing, but we aren’t entirely sure how it was initially damaged. Though the wing healed, Schmo does not fly as well as he should, and was deemed non-releasable.
Due to the shape of their wings and softly-fringed feather edges, Great Horned Owls can fly in near silence and take their prey by surprise. Because of Schmo’s injured wing, he would not be able to hunt well.
The Great Horned Owl is the largest of the five owls native to Florida. This powerful predator can capture birds and mammals even larger than itself. These owls tend to be the most widely recognized. Great Horned Owls have the characteristic “hoot” that many associate with the owl call and have the “horns” on their head, which aren’t horns at all — they’re just tufts of feathers called plumicorns.
Russell the Fish Crow
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Russell is the Fish Crow in the Waterbird habitat at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Russell was brought to our rehabilitation center with a badly injured wing. Our staff was able to treat Russell’s injuries, but he can’t fly as well as he should.
Not everyone realizes it, but there are two kinds of crows across much of the eastern United States, the Fish Crow and the American Crow. The two species are almost identical and can be hard to identify, until you learn the Fish Crow’s recognizable nasal call.
Fish Crows are known for caching, or storing, their extra food. These birds are also known nest-thieves, raiding the nests of many other bird species for food and occasionally even digging up turtle eggs.
The Fish Crow is very adaptable and resourceful, expanding inland amidst wetland destruction and urban development.
Yzma the Florida Pine Snake
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Yzma is the Florida Pine Snake at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Yzma was born in captivity and has been used as an educational ambassador to teach the public about her species.
The Florida Pine Snake is a threatened and protected species in the state. Habitat loss has long been an issue for this species. By 1987, 88% of Florida's scrub habitat — where Florida Pine Snakes are found — had been lost to development.
The Florida Pine Snake is unique compared to other snakes. It has keeled, or ridged, scales that are rougher than normal snake scales. It also has a pointed nose scale that helps it dig large holes where the snake will hide and wait for prey to come inside.
Our environment relies on snakes for pest control. Snakes eat those critters we’d rather not have in our house, such as ats, mice, roaches, and other snakes!
Morris the Gopher Tortoise
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Morris is one of the Gopher Tortoises at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary and has been with us for many years. Under Florida law, Gopher Tortoises cannot be relocated without proper permitting. The Gopher Tortoises at the Sanctuary have been brought here for various reasons and it was deemed best to keep them on property.
Gopher Tortoises are found throughout Florida in mostly upland habitats. These tortoises dig deep burrows for shelter, and more than 350 other species will use these burrows, too. The Gopher Tortoise is considered a Keystone Species because its environmental impact is so significant that its survival is critical to the health of the ecosystems where it lives.
Gopher tortoises are land animals that cannot swim and are likely to drown if placed in water, even though they can be found in dunes near the ocean.
Cheese the Blue Jay
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Cheese is one of the Blue Jays at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Cheese was brought to our rehabilitation center as a surrendered pet, and he’s now too reliant on people to be released back into the wild. This is also known as imprinting. Imprinting happens when a juvenile animal forms a close attachment with a species different than its own, which creates developmental problems.
Blue Jays are known for their intelligence and their ability to mimic other bird calls, especially the Red-shouldered Hawk, to protect themselves and other birds. These songbirds are very talkative and constantly communicate with each other.
Though its name suggests otherwise, Blue Jays are not actually blue! The pigment in their feathers is melanin, which is brown, but the feathers have a unique structure that distorts light in a way that makes them appear blue
Beans the Brown Pelican
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Beans is one of the Brown Pelicans in the Waterbirds habitat at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Beans was brought into our rehabilitation center in August 2023 in poor condition. He was thin, weak, and pale. Staff quickly discovered that Beans is blind in one eye, likely a birth defect, which is why he struggled to thrive in the wild and was deemed non-releasable. Our staff administered supportive care before moving him over to the Sanctuary.
Brown Pelicans can be found all along Florida’s coast. The species has come a long way, once endangered in the 1960s and 1970s due to pesticide pollution. Brown Pelicans feed by plunge-diving from as high as 65 feet, using the force of impact to stun small fish before scooping them up.
Crazy the Red Fox
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Crazy is one of the Red Foxes at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Crazy was kept as a pet and then surrendered to the Sanctuary. She is too reliant on humans to be released into the wild.
Florida has two kinds of foxes: The Red Fox and the Gray Fox. Crazy is often mistaken as a Gray Fox because she is a Silver Morph of the Red Fox. The easiest way to distinguish between the two foxes is through their tails. Red Foxes have fluffy, white-tipped tails, and Gray Foxes have black-tipped tails.
All of the foxes at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary were unfortunately surrendered pets. People may think foxes can be household pets because they are canines, but foxes are very different from dogs. Foxes are wild animals that forage, hunt, and catch their food. Foxes can also carry diseases that can be harmful to humans, including roundworm, mange, leptospirosis, and rabies.
Charlie the Cougar
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Charlie is one of Busch Wildlife Sanctuary’s newest animal ambassadors who joined us all the way from California! Charlie was rescued from the illegal pet trade but had already been declawed on all four paws. As a result, he wouldn’t be able to hunt for food or defend himself against predators in the wild.
Our Chief Executive Officer Amy Kight and Chief Operating Officer Christen Mason made the cross-country trek to bring Charlie to his forever home in March 2024.
Though technically a California Cougar, Charlie represents the Florida Panther — the most endangered cat in North America with less than 200 left in the wild. Panthers, cougars, pumas, and mountain lions all belong to the same family but differ in physical characteristics based on their habitats. The Florida Panther, for example, is smaller and has darker coloration throughout its body compared to the California Cougar.
Tahmahlah suffered burns to his paw pads in the wildfire, which led to permanent nerve damage, and burns to his face that affected his eyesight. Because of these injuries, Tahmahlah wouldn’t be able to navigate himself in the wild and was deemed non-releasable.
Though technically a California Cougar, Tahmahlah represents the Florida Panther — the most endangered cat in North America with less than 200 left in the wild. Panthers, cougars, pumas, and mountain lions all belong to the same family but differ in physical characteristics based on their habitats. The Florida Panther, for example, is smaller and has darker coloration throughout its body compared to the California Cougar.
Orange the Bald Eagle
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Orange is one of the Bald Eagles at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Orange was brought to our wildlife rehabilitation center where our staff discovered he suffered a permanent wing injury. He was deemed non-releasable because he could not fly well.
Though we aren’t certain how Orange was injured, human-related incidents are the biggest threat to Bald Eagles. Orange was likely hit by a car or collided with a manmade structure such as a powerline.
Bald Eagles are our national bird, and the only eagle unique to North America. These birds are found throughout most of North America, but about half the world’s eagles live in Alaska! Bald Eagles are clearly not bald, or featherless. The term “bald” refers to an old English word meaning white — an ode to the white feathers on their heads.
Macaroni the American Alligator
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Macaroni is one of the baby American Alligators inside the Reptile Complex at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Macaroni and his siblings, Rigatoni and Bow Tie, were bred in captivity at another wildlife facility and are at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary as educational ambassadors to teach the public how to cohabitate safely with alligators since there are more than one million statewide. Baby alligators rely on their mom for the first 1-2 years of life, so Macaroni will stay at the Sanctuary until he’s matured.
Florida is the only place in the nation where you can find both alligators and crocodiles. Alligators are generally afraid of people as long as they are left alone. Most problems occur when people feed alligators, which is illegal. It only takes one instance for an alligator to associate people as food sources, which is dangerous for both people and the alligators.
Timmy the Raccoon
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Timmy is the smaller of the two Raccoons at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Timmy was orphaned and brought to our rehabilitation center. Our staff discovered she is cortically blind, meaning her eyes work well but her brain doesn’t process vision properly, and she was deemed non-releasable.
Raccoons, often referred to as “Trash Pandas,” are one of the most common mammals in the nation. While many believe raccoons are nocturnal, they are actually crepuscular, or most active during dawn or dusk.
Raccoons do not make good household pets. Raccoons can carry rabies and other diseases that can be fatal to humans. Raccoons are smart, active, and curious animals that require plenty of mental and physical stimulation.
Tater Tot the River Otter
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Tater Tot is one of our North American River Otters at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Tater Tot was relocated to our Sanctuary from Flamingo Gardens in Davie because she wasn’t getting along with the other female otters.
River otters tend to live alone or in pairs. At the time, we only had one other river otter, Charlie, and decided to see if they’d get along. Thankfully, it was a success! Tater Tot & Charlie are two peas in a pod, and can often be found playing with one another in their pond.
The North American River Otter is incredibly important to our ecosystem. River otters are indicator species. When pollutants enter their habitat, river otters are the first to show signs of contaminants in the water. A strong and active river otter population indicates a healthy habitat for otters, humans, and other species!
Roz the Osceola Turkey
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Roz is one of the Wild Turkeys at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Roz and her siblings, Nick and Atilla, were brought to our wildlife rehabilitation center as eggs. Our staff incubated the eggs and waited for the birds to hatch. Since they were hatched in captivity, it was decided to keep the turkeys at the Sanctuary as educational ambassadors to teach the public about their species.
Female turkeys are not as ostentatious as males. The female is slimmer and duller looking, with a blue-gray head and neck that lacks the prominent red caruncles found on a male’s throat.
Here in Florida, we have a specific subspecies of Wild Turkey called the Osceola Turkey that is only found here. Unregulated turkey hunting once threatened the species, but conservation efforts and more regulated hunting practices have been ongoing since the 1970s, and the Wild Turkey population is now thriving.
Penelope the Bobcat
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Penelope and her siblings Porter & Paisley, known as the Three Ps, have been at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary for about 10 years. The three were brought to us as orphaned kittens — they were so little they hadn’t even opened their eyes yet!
Because the Three Ps had been separated from their mother so young, this caused them to imprint, a condition where animals form an extremely close and dependent bond with the first animal or person they see after being born. Penelope, Porter, & Paisley all became too reliant on humans to be released back into the wild.
Though the bobcat may look like a domestic cat, it is definitely a wild animal. The Florida Bobcat is named for its short “bobbed” tail, which is an adaption that helps in catching prey in open fields. Bobcats typically live in solitude, only associating with other bobcats to mate. These cats have excellent eyesight and hearing to hunt their food.
Clover the Bobcat
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Clover, one of our Florida Bobcats, has been at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary since March 2018. She was first brought to our rehabilitation center as an orphaned kitten who needed to be raised and rehabilitated for release. We began to realize she was having some developmental issues and later found out she had cerebellar hypoplasia, meaning that her brain did not properly develop.
This condition affects her motor skills, balance, and coordination, and she was deemed non-releasable. Because she first came to us right around St. Patrick’s Day, we decided to name her Clover!
Though the bobcat may look like a domestic cat, it is definitely a wild animal. The Florida Bobcat is named for its short “bobbed” tail, which is an adaption that helps in catching prey in open fields. Bobcats typically live in solitude, only associating with other bobcats to mate. These cats have excellent eyesight and hearing to hunt their food.
Ollie the Black Bellied Whistling
Duck
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Ollie is one of the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Ollie was brought to our rehabilitation center unable to fly. Our staff discovered that she suffered an irreparable wing injury and was deemed non-releasable.
Though we are unsure how Ollie’s wing was injured, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks are known to adapt to living in urban areas. Ollie was likely injured in a human-related incident, such as being struck by a car or attacked by a domestic pet.
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks can be seen year-round in Florida. As their name suggests, the Black-bellied Whistling Duck is a boisterous, social bird with an unmistakable call.
Righty the Barred Owl
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Righty is one of the Barred Owls at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Righty was brought into our rehabilitation center, and our staff discovered that he was blind in one eye. An owl’s eyesight is crucial for flying and hunting, so Righty was deemed non-releasable. He was named Righty because he’s blind in his right eye, and his exhibit-mate Lefty is blind in her left eye!
Barred Owls have striped feather patterns down their chests, which is how they got their “barred” name. It’s common to find Barred Owls near swampy areas, as these birds prefer wooded areas near water, and have been nicknamed the “Swamp Owl.” Barred Owls are year-round residents, meaning they do not migrate.
These owls are thought to mate for life and are very territorial of their nests.
Jo the Great Horned Owl
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Jo, short for Josephine, is one of the Great Horned Owls at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Jo is an imprinted bird, which means she’s too used to humans to survive in the wild. Imprinting happens when a juvenile animal forms a close attachment with a species different than its own, which creates developmental problems. Jo was likely kept as an illegal pet before she was brought into our rehabilitation center.
The Great Horned Owl is the largest of the five owls native to Florida. This powerful predator can capture birds and mammals even larger than itself. These owls tend to be the most widely recognized. Great Horned Owls have the characteristic “hoot” that many associate with the owl call and have the “horns” on their head, which aren’t horns at all — they’re just tufts of feathers called plumicorns. These plumicorns mistaken as horns is actually how the “Great Horned Owl” got its name!
Wolfgang the Red-Tailed Hawk
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Wolfgang is one of the Red-tailed Hawks at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Wolfgang was caught in chicken wire and brought to our rehabilitation center. She suffered a permanent eye injury and had to have it removed. Because Wolfgang now only has one eye, she is not releasable.
Red-tailed Hawks are the most common hawks in North America. As its name suggests, most Red-tailed Hawks have a red or coppery colored tail on their back.
The Red-tailed Hawk has a thrilling, raspy scream that sounds exactly like a raptor should sound — and you’d probably be able to recognize it. The Red-tailed Hawk’s call is the one used a majority of the time in movies and television shows for birds of prey, regardless of the species.
Cocoplum the Eastern Indigo Snake
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Cocoplum is one of the Eastern Indigo Snakes at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Cocoplum was born in captivity with a herniated umbilical cord that required surgery. Surgery can affect a snake’s scales, which are needed for the snake’s protection, movement, and camouflage.
Cocoplum was brought to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in 2019 and has been with us ever since. Because she has spent her life in captivity, Cocoplum is very used to human interaction and is often used in our educational programs to teach the public about her species.
The Eastern Indigo Snake is a federally threatened and protected species. The main threat facing the species is habitat destruction. In fact, Eastern Indigo Snakes lose more than 5% of their habitat annually in Florida. Our environment relies on snakes for pest control. Snakes eat those critters we’d rather not have in our house, such as ats, mice, roaches, and other snakes!
Frasier the Sandhill Crane
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Frasier is one of the Sandhill Cranes at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Frasier’s parents unfortunately died after being struck by a car, leaving her orphaned. Neighborhood residents started feeding her, and she became too habituated to humans. Frasier was also sadly attacked by other Sandhill Cranes in the area, and that’s when she was brought to Busch Wildlife’s rehabilitation center. Frasier suffered a broken beak that grew back incorrectly, which would make it difficult for her to catch and eat food in the wild.
Sandhill Cranes are easy to spot. They’re large birds, reaching heights up to 4 feet tall, commonly found in urban areas such as neighborhoods, golf courses, and other open expanses. Florida Sandhill Cranes are a non-migratory species that nest in freshwater ponds and marshes. There are now fewer than 5,000 Florida Sandhill Cranes across the state, and they are listed as a state-designated threatened species.
Jay Jay the Blue Jay
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Jay Jay is one of the Blue Jays at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Jay Jay was brought to our rehabilitation center as a surrendered pet, and he’s now too reliant on people to be released back into the wild. This is also known as imprinting. Imprinting happens when a juvenile animal forms a close attachment with a species different than its own, which creates developmental problems.
Blue Jays are known for their intelligence and their ability to mimic other bird calls, especially the Red-shouldered Hawk, to protect themselves and other birds. These songbirds are very talkative and constantly communicate with each other.
Though its name suggests otherwise, Blue Jays are not actually blue! The pigment in their feathers is melanin, which is brown, but the feathers have a unique structure that distorts light in a way that makes them appear blue
Nigel the Brown Pelican
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Nigel is one of the Brown Pelicans in the Waterbirds habitat at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Nigel was transferred to us from another facility. There, she had multiple fishing hooks removed from her digestive tract and required extensive medical care.
Nigel was still a juvenile when receiving treatment and became too reliant on humans to be released back into the wild. She was transferred to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary where we could provide her with a forever home.
Brown Pelicans can be found all along Florida’s coast. The species has come a long way, once endangered in the 1960s and 1970s due to pesticide pollution. Brown Pelicans feed by plunge-diving from as high as 65 feet, using the force of impact to stun small fish before scooping them up.
Grayson the Grey Fox
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Grayson is the only Gray Fox at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Grayson was orphaned, kept as a pet, and then surrendered to the Sanctuary. She is too reliant on humans to be released into the wild.
While living at the Sanctuary, Grayson developed a hematoma on her ear and needed surgery to repair it. The healing process and scar tissue gave her ear that little flip downwards.
Florida has two kinds of foxes: The Red Fox and the Gray Fox. All of the foxes at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary were unfortunately surrendered pets. People may think foxes can be household pets because they are canines, but foxes are very different from dogs. Foxes are wild animals that forage, hunt, and catch their food. Foxes can also carry diseases that can be harmful to humans, including roundworm, mange, leptospirosis, and rabies.
Tehya the Black Bear
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Tehya and her sister Kiona were orphaned as cubs. Mama Bear was known for going into neighborhoods and digging in the trash, which is dangerous for humans and bears. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission attempted to relocate the bear family several times, but Mama Bear kept returning to residential areas, was deemed a “nuisance bear” and humanely euthanized.
The cubs learned this dumpster diving behavior and were deemed non-releasable. Tehya & Kiona, now about 18 years old, have been at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary ever since!
The Florida Black Bear is the only species of bear found in the state. There is an estimated population of about 4,000 in the wild. One thing to always remember: a FED bear is a DEAD bear! Once a bear realizes that humans can be a food source, they are considered a nuisance animal and have to be removed or euthanized.
Quincy the Bald Eagle
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Quincy is one of the Bald Eagles at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Quincy suffered a wing injury as a fledgling. Audubon Florida’s EagleWatch Program, which tracks and monitors Bald Eagle nests, found Quincy still grounded a few days later and brought him to our rehabilitation center. Our staff discovered Quincy broke the wing and it had already healed incorrectly. Quincy does not fly very well and was deemed non-releasable.
Bald Eagles are our national bird, and the only eagle unique to North America. These birds are found throughout most of North America, but about half the world’s eagles live in Alaska! Bald Eagles are clearly not bald, or featherless. The term “bald” refers to an old English word meaning white — an ode to the white feathers on their heads.
Rigatoni the American Alligator
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Rigatoni is one of the baby American Alligators inside the Reptile Complex at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Rigatoni and his siblings, Macaroni and Bow Tie, were bred in captivity at another wildlife facility and are at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary as educational ambassadors to teach the public how to cohabitate safely with alligators since there are more than one million statewide. Baby alligators rely on their mom for the first 1-2 years of life, so Rigatoni will stay at the Sanctuary until he’s matured.
Florida is the only place in the nation where you can find both alligators and crocodiles. Alligators are generally afraid of people as long as they are left alone. Most problems occur when people feed alligators, which is illegal. It only takes one instance for an alligator to associate people as food sources, which is dangerous for both people and the alligators.
Friendly the Raccoon
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Friendly is the larger of the two Raccoons at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Friendly is here because, as his name suggests, he’s a little too comfortable around humans. That’s because he was kept as a pet before he was surrendered to the Sanctuary. He is too reliant on humans to be released.
Raccoons, often referred to as “Trash Pandas,” are one of the most common mammals in the nation. While many believe raccoons are nocturnal, they are actually crepuscular, or most active during dawn or dusk.
Raccoons do not make good household pets. Raccoons can carry rabies and other diseases that can be fatal to humans. Raccoons are smart, active, and curious animals that require plenty of mental and physical stimulation.
Charlie the River Otter
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Charlie is one of our North American River Otters at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Charlie was first brought to us as an orphan, and we later discovered he is blind in one eye. It’s most likely that, because of this birth defect, Charlie was unable to keep up with his mom and siblings in the wild and was orphaned.
It’s easy to spot Charlie in his habitat. Because he’s blind, he also has difficulty grooming himself on one side. His fur becomes matted and gives the illusion that he has spots. His keepers shave off the matted fur periodically to keep his skin and coat healthy. Visitors often find Charlie lying on his back and sucking his thumb, too!
The North American River Otter is incredibly important to our ecosystem. River otters are indicator species. When pollutants enter their habitat, river otters are the first to show signs of contaminants in the water. A strong and active river otter population indicates a healthy habitat for otters, humans, and other species!
Nick the Osceola Turkey
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Nick is the only male Wild Turkey at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Nick and his sisters, Roz and Atilla, were brought to our wildlife rehabilitation center as eggs. Our staff incubated the eggs and waited for the birds to hatch. Since they were hatched in captivity, it was decided to keep the turkeys at the Sanctuary as educational ambassadors to teach the public about their species.
Nick is easy to spot in his habitat as the only male. An adult male wild turkey is more heavy-bodied and larger than the female. The skin on its featherless head is pinkish-red with red caruncles on its throat and neck.
Here in Florida, we have a specific subspecies of Wild Turkey called the Osceola Turkey that is only found here. Unregulated turkey hunting once threatened the species, but conservation efforts and more regulated hunting practices have been ongoing since the 1970s, and the Wild Turkey population is now thriving.
Porter the Bobcat
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Porter and his siblings Penelope & Paisley, known as the Three Ps, have been at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary for about 10 years. The three were brought to us as orphaned kittens — they were so little they hadn’t even opened their eyes yet!
Because the Three Ps had been separated from their mother so young, this caused them to imprint, a condition where animals form an extremely close and dependent bond with the first animal or person they see after being born. Porter, Penelope, & Paisley all became too reliant on humans to be released back into the wild.
Though the bobcat may look like a domestic cat, it is definitely a wild animal. The Florida Bobcat is named for its short “bobbed” tail, which is an adaption that helps in catching prey in open fields. Bobcats typically live in solitude, only associating with other bobcats to mate. These cats have excellent eyesight and hearing to hunt their food.
Lucy the Bobcat
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Lucy is our smallest and youngest Florida Bobcat at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary! Now about 6 years old, Lucy was first brought to us as an orphan. We noticed she was smaller than usual and suspect she may have been orphaned because she couldn’t keep up with her mom or siblings in the wild. Later, we discovered that Lucy has metabolic bone disease which is why she’s so tiny!
Lucy is easy to spot at our Sanctuary because of how much smaller she is than the other bobcats. Being the youngest, Lucy is also known for being the feistiest.
Though the bobcat may look like a domestic cat, it is definitely a wild animal. The Florida Bobcat is named for its short “bobbed” tail, which is an adaption that helps in catching prey in open fields. Bobcats typically live in solitude, only associating with other bobcats to mate. These cats have excellent eyesight and hearing to hunt their food.
Silver the Bald Eagle
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Silver is one of the Bald Eagles at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Silver was brought to us by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission after he was found grounded. Our staff discovered Silver suffered a permanent wing injury and was deemed non-releasable because he cannot fly well.
Silver is easy to spot in his habitat. While living at the Sanctuary, he developed an ulcer in his right eye. The ulcer was treated, but it left Silver’s eye discolored.
Bald Eagles are our national bird, and the only eagle unique to North America. These birds are found throughout most of North America, but about half the world’s eagles live in Alaska! Bald Eagles are clearly not bald, or featherless. The term “bald” refers to an old English word meaning white — an ode to the white feathers on their heads.
Lefty the Barred Owl
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Lefty is one of the Barred Owls at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Lefty was brought into our rehabilitation center, and our staff discovered that she was blind in one eye. An owl’s eyesight is crucial for flying and hunting, so Lefty was deemed non-releasable. She was named Lefty because she’s blind in her left eye, and her exhibit-mate Righty is blind in his right eye!
Barred Owls have striped feather patterns down their chests, which is how they got their “barred” name. It’s common to find Barred Owls near swampy areas, as these birds prefer wooded areas near water, and have been nicknamed the “Swamp Owl.” Barred Owls are year-round residents, meaning they do not migrate.
These owls are thought to mate for life and are very territorial of their nests.
Cache the Fish Crow
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Cache is the Fish Crow in the Songbird exhibit at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Cache was brought to our rehabilitation center as an orphan with a badly injured wing. Our staff was able to treat Cache’s injuries, but he can’t fly as well as he should. Though we don’t know exactly how Cache was injured, we believe it was the result of a serious collision, because he also has developmental issues.
Not everyone realizes it, but there are two kinds of crows across much of the eastern United States, the Fish Crow and the American Crow. The two species are almost identical and can be hard to identify, until you learn the Fish Crow’s recognizable nasal call.
Fish Crows are known for caching, or storing, their extra food — which is also how Cache got his name! These birds are also known nest-thieves, raiding the nests of many other bird species for food and occasionally even digging up turtle eggs.
Squeaks the Red-Shouldered Hawk
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Squeaks is one of the Red-shouldered Hawks at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Squeaks was brought into our wildlife rehabilitation center unable to fly. Our staff discovered Squeaks suffered a permanent wing injury and was deemed non-releasable.
These hawks are characterized by their broad wings that are adapted for soaring flight, and Squeaks’ injury prevents him from having a strong, sustained flight. Although we aren’t exactly sure how Squeaks was injured, Red-shouldered Hawks are known to nest high up in trees, and he may have fallen.
Red-shouldered Hawks are very loud, noisy birds. One of the best ways to find Red-shouldered Hawks is to learn their distinctive “kee-rah” call, which can sometimes be heard from miles away!
Big Lots the Gopher Tortoise
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Big Lots is one of the Gopher Tortoises at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary and has been with us for many years. Under Florida law, Gopher Tortoises cannot be relocated without proper permitting. The Gopher Tortoises at the Sanctuary have been brought here for various reasons and it was deemed best to keep them on property.
Gopher Tortoises are found throughout Florida in mostly upland habitats. These tortoises dig deep burrows for shelter, and more than 350 other species will use these burrows, too. The Gopher Tortoise is considered a Keystone Species because its environmental impact is so significant that its survival is critical to the health of the ecosystems where it lives.
Gopher tortoises are land animals that cannot swim and are likely to drown if placed in water, even though they can be found in dunes near the ocean.
Gary the Sandhill Crane
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Gary is one of the Sandhill Cranes at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Gary was a juvenile when she was brought to our rehabilitation center unable to fly. We found that Gary had already suffered a wing break that didn’t heal properly, and it affected her growth plates. There was no way to repair the wing well enough to release Gary back into the wild.
Sandhill Cranes are easy to spot. They’re large birds, reaching heights up to 4 feet tall, commonly found in urban areas such as neighborhoods, golf courses, and other open expanses. Florida Sandhill Cranes are a non-migratory species that nest in freshwater ponds and marshes. There are now fewer than 5,000 Florida Sandhill Cranes across the state, and they are listed as a state-designated threatened species.
Arvy the Brown Pelican
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Arvy is one of the Brown Pelicans in the Waterbirds habitat at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Arvy’s survival story made headlines nationwide when she was rescued in 2021. Arvy was found in the icy Connecticut River, likely blown off-course during migration. It was clear Arvy’s best chance at survival would be at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, so she was flown to our rehabilitation center where she was treated for pneumonia and frostbite.
Arvy underwent multiple surgeries to treat the frostbite that resulted in her losing about 30% of both feet. Because of the severity of her injuries, Arvy was deemed non-releasable.
Brown Pelicans can be found all along Florida’s coast. The species has come a long way, once endangered in the 1960s and 1970s due to pesticide pollution. Brown Pelicans feed by plunge-diving from as high as 65 feet, using the force of impact to stun small fish before scooping them up.
Cypress the White Tailed Deer
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Cypress is one of the White-tailed Deer at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Cypress is here because he was unfortunately "deer-napped" and raised here. This happens when a person finds a baby fawn and assumes its mom has abandoned it.
Cypress also has a condition called Cactus Buck, which causes his antlers to be bumpy. This is because of a hormonal imbalance. He is unable to shed his antlers like other male deer.
A Mother Doe will hide her baby under camouflage during the day to keep it safe while she forages. This is done to avoid attracting predators to her baby’s location. Many residents see the baby fawn alone and assume it has been orphaned and needs aid. If you’re ever unsure, please call a sanctuary or wildlife organization first!
Kenzle the Red Fox
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Kenzle is one of the Red Foxes at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Kenzle was kept as a pet and then surrendered to the Sanctuary. She is too reliant on humans to be released into the wild.
Florida has two kinds of foxes: The Red Fox and the Gray Fox. The easiest way to distinguish between the two foxes is through their tails. Red Foxes have fluffy, white-tipped tails, and Gray Foxes have black-tipped tails.
All of the foxes at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary were unfortunately surrendered pets. People may think foxes can be household pets because they are canines, but foxes are very different from dogs. Foxes are wild animals that forage, hunt, and catch their food. Foxes can also carry diseases that can be harmful to humans, including roundworm, mange, leptospirosis, and rabies.