Saving Wildlife, Inspiring Community
Our Mission
The Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established in 1982 in the Pensacola area to provide a safe haven for injured and orphaned wildlife and to foster public awareness and appreciation of wildlife. This mission is accomplished through the mobilization and direction of public, private, and human resources to provide care, create natural habitats and promote wildlife preservation through education.
Our Story
Founded in 1982 in Gulf Breeze, Florida, our organization began with a single woman’s passion for rescuing native wildlife in her own backyard. Her dedication inspired grassroots support and engaged local groups eager to learn how to protect the region’s wildlife. She transformed that passion into a regional mission, rehabilitating animals in any space available.
By the 1990s, demand for the sanctuary’s wildlife care had outgrown the original facilities, and Gulf Power stepped in, offering a permanent home where the sanctuary could flourish. Since then, we have endured fires, floods, and hurricanes, yet remained a cornerstone of wildlife rescue and education in northwest Florida.
Over the past 20 years alone, we’ve provided critical care to more than 62,000 wild animal patients, while also becoming a hub for public engagement- reaching over 116,000 community members through various avenues just last year.
Today, we are not only a trusted wildlife hospital but a vital educational resource, conservation partner, and advocate for coexistence between people and nature.
As the need for our services continues to grow, we are preparing for a bold new chapter: expanding our facilities and programming to better serve the increasing demands of our community and the fragile ecosystems we are entrusted to protect.
Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands of the Pensacola and Muscogee peoples and all of their descendants who have cared for this land, its animals, and its ecosystems since time immemorial.
We recognize and honor the enduring relationship that Indigenous communities have with this region, its wildlife, and natural resources. As an organization dedicated to animal welfare and environmental stewardship, we understand that our work must include respect for the land’s original caretakers and a commitment to equity and justice in conservation.
We express our gratitude for the opportunity to live and work on this land, and we affirm our responsibility to listen, learn, and act in support of Indigenous sovereignty and ecological knowledge.
We invite our visitors, staff, and volunteers to join us in learning about the Indigenous history of this region and reflecting on our shared responsibility to protect the land and all who call it home.