After 20 years in operation and a move to a brand new facility in Osceola county, Central Florida Animal Reserve (CFAR) is opening their gates to the public for guided tours. The Central Florida Animal reserve is home to over 20 large cats including tigers, lions, leopards, and cougars.

CFAR recently moved their animals from Brevard county to their new 11-acre facility that took four years to build. The 1.2-million-dollar facility is located adjacent to Forever Florida and surrounded by protected natural preserve. The new site even has room for future expansion. On Saturday November 11th, 2017 CFAR will make history as guided tours begin. Reservations are mandatory, but tours can be booked by clicking the book now button on their website.

Each tour is a chance to tell guests each animal’s story, why it is important to protect these amazing animals, and what we can do to help. This sanctuary is focused on effective stewardship and making meaningful relationships with our animal residents to educate others. Education is one of the cornerstones of conservation, without it conservation is not possible.

Dr. Simba Wiltz is at the helm of this wonderful organization. He has a doctorate degree in pharmacy but has also been studying big cats for the past 20 years. He truly has a passion for the cats under his care. As a pharmacist, Dr. Wiltz puts the heath of these cats first. As a leader Dr. Wiltz sets high standards to ensure that consistency of care is met each and every day.  He leads by example and lives the conservation messages that he shares with guests.

Join Positively Osceola in supporting this great organization by registering for a guided tour and learn about these big cats, learn about their stories, and what we can do to help save their counterparts in the wild. Sanctuaries, zoos, and aquariums play a huge role in conservation and the preservation of many species. They also speed up scientific research.  Recording behavioral data to learn about these cats in the wild can take years, while behavioral data can be collected in a matter of months and eliminate extraneous variables since the animals live in a somewhat controlled environment. The philosophy of the Central Florida Animal reserve is compassion, conservation and commitment. They are compassionate about the animals that they care for and guests that they educate. The cats that they care for are ambassadors for the species and promote conservation by educating guests about the animals they are connecting with. They are committed to making a difference by providing advances in long-term care for cats in human care and protect big cats in the wild.

There are many different types of tours that can be booked. They range from a simple hour long tour that introduces you to some of the cats where you can learn a little about their story to keeper for a day which gives you a personalized experience where you get to care for these cats first hand. Every tour that is booked helps this non-profit organization care for these animals. We stand in support of the Central Florida Animal Reserve, as they really are making a “Positive Difference in Osceola County! “