Noah's Ark Sanctuary · Florida

Where animals get to just be animals.

Rescue, rehabilitation, and lifelong care for animals in need, and a home for the ambassadors who help people fall in love with wildlife. Meet them at our cafés, and see inside the sanctuary right here.

Support the sanctuary → Meet the animals
Scroll ↓ From rescue to education to coexistence
The Mission

Four kinds of care.

What began as a home rescue in Hastings has grown into an organization dedicated to animal rescue, lifelong care, and public education through immersive experiences. The work happens in four movements.

No. 1

Rescue and rehabilitation

We take in animals in need: native wildlife, exotic surrenders, and animals with nowhere else to go.

→ No. 2

Lifelong care

For animals who cannot return to the wild, the sanctuary is home for good, in habitats intentionally designed to meet and exceed the standards set by the agencies that oversee animal care.

→ No. 3

Education and ambassadors

Zoo to You school visits, field trips, and homeschool programs, taught by the ambassadors themselves.

→ No. 4

Humane wildlife response

Through Noah's Ark Wildlife Removal, human-wildlife conflicts end humanely.

→
Meet the Animals

Residents and ambassadors.

Some are rescues writing their next chapter. Some are ambassadors for education and conservation. Every one has a name, a story, and a way for you to be part of it.

Two capybaras resting their paws on a wooden ledge Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

The capybaras

Gentle, social, and famously calm: the ambassadors who introduce many guests to our mission.

Field notes→ A fennec fox curled up with its large ears raised Vulpes zerda

The fennec foxes

Desert ears, Florida address. Curious, quick, and endlessly engaging.

Field notes→ An Asian small-clawed otter on the grass looking up at the camera Aonyx cinereus

The otters

Playful, intelligent, and always in motion. Their enrichment is a daily commitment.

Field notes→ Four raccoons gathered in a shallow pool The ensemble cast

Native wildlife

Lemur, wallaby, porcupine, and the Florida natives at the heart of the rescue mission.

Field notes→

The whole family

Our animal family spans dozens of species, from lifelong sanctuary residents to education ambassadors. Open the encyclopedia for every story.

Mammals of the sanctuary

Capybaras, fennec foxes, otters, lemurs, a porcupine, a wallaby, maras, a coati, skunks, armadillos, opossums, ferrets, bunnies, guinea pigs, and a famously soft chinchilla.

The pasture crew

Highland cows, a zebu, camels, alpacas, a llama, ponies, donkeys, sheep, goats, and remarkably clever pigs.

Feathers, scales, and shells

Birds, chickens, tortoises, turtles, snakes, bearded dragons, a blue tongue skink, and a uromastyx.

Native wildlife in rescue

Foxes, raccoons, squirrels, and opossums, our nocturnal specialists.

Visit

Meet the mission in person.

Our educational cafés are how the public meets the mission today, and every visit helps fund the care of animals at the sanctuary.

St. Augustine, FL

The Capybara Cafe

Small-group encounters in the nation's oldest city, where the story began.

Plan a visit→ St. Augustine, FL

The Fluffy Cow Cafe

Highland cattle encounters on the pasture side of the sanctuary family.

Plan a visit→ St. Petersburg, FL

The Capybara Cafe

The same mission on the Gulf coast, with its own resident cast and lineup.

Plan a visit→ Fort Lauderdale, FL

The Capybara Cafe

The same mission in South Florida, with its own resident cast and lineup.

Plan a visit→

The sanctuary grounds themselves are not open to guests at this point. We explain exactly why on Inside the Sanctuary, along with everything we can show you anyway.

Upcoming

On the calendar.

Where the sanctuary family is showing up next: service days, partnerships, and community events.

Sept 9

Dine and Donate at Ford's Garage

Eat well, do good: Ford's Garage in St. Petersburg hosts a Dine and Donate from 2:00 to 8:00 PM, with a portion of proceeds benefiting The Capybara Cafe. Details on our partnerships page.

Sept 16

Day of Service: Zoological Wildlife Foundation

Our Capybara Cafe team heads to Miami for a full volunteer day supporting animal care: habitat cleaning and enrichment. Read about this and every collaboration on our partnerships page.

Oct 27

Trunk or Treat with The Salvation Army

The Capybara Cafe joins the special guest lineup at The Salvation Army's Trunk or Treat in St. Petersburg: candy, games, food trucks, and animals, starting at 6:00 PM. Admission is $5 for kids 4 and up, and parents are free. Details on our partnerships page.

Ways to Give

Be part of an animal's care.

Care doesn't pause, and neither does the need. Choose the way you'd like to help.

Donate

One-time or monthly gifts fund food, veterinary care, and habitat improvements.

Give today→

Sponsor an animal

Follow one animal's story with updates and photos, or give a sponsorship as a gift.

Choose your animal→

Wishlist

Send exactly what the animals need, from enrichment toys to pantry staples.

Shop the wishlist→

Volunteer

Lend your hands to enrichment, events, and the daily work of care.

Join the crew→
Stay Connected

Be part of the sanctuary as it grows.

New arrivals, resident milestones, behind-the-scenes moments, and first word as new ways to experience the sanctuary take shape. About once a month.