What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 9am - 4pm Wednesday 9am - 4pm Thursday 9am - 4pm Friday 9am - 4pm Saturday 9am - 4pm Sunday 9am - 4pm

Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge

Home
United States
Orlando, FL
Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge

501 c 3 dedicated to Rescue, Raise, Rehabilitate and Release Central Florida's Native Wildlife. WELCOME TO BACK TO NATURE WILDLIFE REFUGE!
(229)

We are a licensed non-profit 501 (c)3 wildlife rehabilitation and education center (open to the public for visitation and drop off) for Central Florida's injured and orphaned native wildlife. We are regulated by FL Fish & Wildlife Commission, US Fish & Wildlife and the USDA. We accept approx. 4,000 injured and orphaned native wild animals per year, from the public, for rehabilitation and RELEASE!

�
We permanently house and display 30 non-releasable native and exotic residents. All animals are brought to us, we can not pick up or trap. We are also contracted with Orange County and Osceola County Animal Services’ for pick up of any native(juvenile ages-adult), NON-rabies vector species(this EXCLUDES: raccoons, bobcats, skunks, bats, otters and foxes). We can only accept those species safely via citizen. Citizen CANNOT have direct physical contact with these animals for the safety of themselves and the animal. Please call or text as soon as you find an injured or orphaned animal. 407-568-5138. Visit our website btnwildlife.org for rescue information, and more ways to donate. We thrive and depend on donations from the public.

11/02/2024

These two are always up to no good! Freedom is just around the corner!

10/31/2024

One of our tiny patients arrived to the refuge already wearing his Halloween costume 👻🐿️….

This little eastern gray squirrel was born with leucism, while his brother is a normal gray. They were both found in a citizen’s yard after a storm in St.Cloud, FL (where there are known populations of them).

Unfortunately the mother did not return so they were brought to the refuge for care until they are of releasable age. Once wild enough, they will return to the St. Cloud area to live in a nearby forest.

Leucism is a genetic condition that causes a partial loss of pigmentation, resulting in white, pale, or patchy coloring. It's different from albinism, which is the complete absence of pigment. Leucistic squirrels have white coats and dark eyes. They can also have white patches, spots, or splotches on their fur.
Central Florida is known to have several locations where this genetic mutation exists in squirrels.
Have you seen one before?👻🐿️🎃

10/30/2024

WINE FOR WILDLIFE is RIGHT around the corner!! NEXT WEEK Nov 7TH! Purchase your tickets soon! New, gorgeous venue, guest wildlife, live music by harpist Megan Elliot, singing group Mystic Muses, and acoustic performances by Dan Verduin of Big 10-4. Don’t miss out on an evening of fun all for the benefit of wildlife in need! 🍷🦊🦉🦝🐿️🦅
Purchase your tickets here 👇

https://donorbox.org/events/668189

Event info 👇
https://www.facebook.com/share/spbMqMkgkoPkPK7D/?mibextid=9l3rBW

10/21/2024

We want to give a giant THANK YOU to all who stopped by Prometheus Esoterica for the ‘Pumpkins for Opossums’ event this past weekend! It was a HUGE success! Prometheus Esoterica raised $7,938 for the refuge!! This was their biggest turnout yet!! We are SO grateful for their ongoing support through this annual event. Cranberry, our elderly resident opossum, snoozed her way through her appearances and managed to make so many smile!!

10/16/2024

UPCOMING EVENTS!
Check out the links below!! 👇

WINE FOR WILDLIFE *Nov. 7TH*
🍷🦊🦉🐿️

https://www.facebook.com/share/K87wR5PCF4UUVBfq/?mibextid=9l3rBW

*This Saturday*
PROMETHEUS ESOTERICA PUMPKINS FOR OPOSSUMS! 🎃

https://facebook.com/events/s/pumpkins-for-opossums-charity-/3651821175040729/

10/15/2024

Thank you FOX 35 Orlando for featuring us on Good Day Orlando this morning! We enjoyed showing David around the refuge to meet the residents and see all the rehab patients. ☺️
www.btnwildlife.org

10/11/2024

Update Re: Hurricane Milton
Hey friends, the refuge animals are safe and unharmed from the storm. 🙏 We have flooding in several enclosures and many animals were evacuated prior to the storm. We have been busy with clean up and trying to get the refuge ready for animal intakes. We can accept as early as tomorrow. However, we require all intakes to be confirmed ahead so we can best assist you and be sure we have space and help for them.
Please send us a text with brief description and ONE single photo (no video), to 954-415-8948
We have ONE volunteer who answers our phone and text messages. PLEASE be patient and kind as she receives up to 100 calls per day and several hundred after storms. Boni has dedicated herself to Back to Nature on a volunteer basis, 7 days a week. Thank you!

Before You Rescue... If you have found and animal and want to know how you can help, please refer to the information below to find out what measures you can take to help save the wildlife before bringing them to Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge. Animals may appear injured or orphaned, but investigatin...

10/09/2024

We have prepared for this storm. Our animals are safe and secure ❤️ Please utilize this information if you encounter storm babies. If they are visibly injured, please keep them warm and safe until you can get them to your local rehab facility. If not, please follow these steps🙏

10/04/2024

10/01/2024

It’s international raccoon appreciation day and we’d appreciate nothing more than to have enough newspaper to keep these guys clean! 🤣
If you have access to donated newspaper, please drop it by our refuge any day!
10525 Clapp Simms Duda Rd. Orlando, FL 32832
Thank you! 🦝

09/28/2024

In case you need a reason to smile today…🫶🦨❤️

09/13/2024

Friday feels… 😴😆

09/11/2024

(Apologies for the blurry photo) This was taken this morning as a first sighting of the return of our nesting pair of American Bald Eagles. They came back to their nest early this season to mate and to hopefully raise more eaglets❤️

Considerate timing on this somber day…🇺🇸🏙️

09/06/2024

This little stinker is putting out the for canned cat food and newspaper to help feed his friends here at the refuge! It’s baby season still(!) and we have loads of squirrels, opossums, birds, raccoons, and more! ..including our newest patient, a baby orphaned striped skunk. His mother was hit by a car and he was the only baby found near her. He will continue to grow up wild and be returned soon enough! 🦨

DROP OFFs: 10525 Clapp Simms Duda Rd. Orlando any day, just inside our parking lot.

Amazon:
Back to Nature Wishlist - Amazon Gift List - https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/KMQ1GQ1ZQFXW

THANK YOU!!
🦨🦉🐿️🦊🦆🦅🪹🪶🐦‍⬛🪺🦝

09/04/2024

We are low again and would appreciate any local newspaper drop offs!! Grocery store ads work too! Thank you all!!
You can drop off in the BTN visitor parking lot any day between 9-5pm. Trash bagged wrapped paper helps for rain protection too!
10525 Clapp Simms Duda Rd. Orlando, FL 32832

08/31/2024

08/30/2024

Our early morning grounds check often involves guilt trips by the residents who know how much they deserve our attention 💜 Koko the emu is one of many amazing non-releasable rescues we care for. She’s been with us since 1997 and loves her daily pets and caretakers.

Koko was found as a stray running along John Young Parkway and was safely captured and transported to BTN by an Orange County animal services officer named Ace Ventura! True story!
After no one claimed her, she became a member of the BTN animal family. We estimate she is atleast 28-30 years old now.

The emu is a flightless bird that is native to Australia and is the tallest native bird there. It is the only living member of the Dromaiidae family, which also includes cassowaries.
Emus can run at sp*eds of up to 50 kilometers per hour!

08/21/2024

SOLD OUT! Looking forward to the silent auction, reffle, fun show and dinner!

Click here to help Sleuths Mystery Dinner Fundraiser organized by Loretta Cunniff. I would love to have your support on the impact being made in my community. Check out my project page for ways to support.

08/16/2024

Thank you all for the donations! Please keep them coming-we are so grateful! 🙏 Here’s our Amazon wish list link that includes priority items like feeding syringes and ni***es, and gift cards to help us make purchases for items we need only a few of (instead of bulk). Baby squirrel season is here!! We strive to keep up with our intakes of injured and orphaned babies and these items help us do that. 💙🐿️🩷
*Please also note it’s hurricane season and we have added yard equipment like a chainsaw, weedeater and gorilla carts to help with storm prepping and aftermath. THANK YOU!!
**Questions about finding an orphaned or injured animal? Please view our website 👀 before calling, and please call 📞 before bringing an animal to us!

www.btnwildife.org/rescue
407-568-5138
Text (with one clear photo image of animal(s) in need)
954-415-8948

Amazon registry :

Back to Nature Wishlist - Amazon Gift List - https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/KMQ1GQ1ZQFXW

08/14/2024

Good morning! We are super low on newspaper, canned cat food, p*e pads and small linens like baby blankets and tshirts. Drop off is in our parking lot any day between 9-5. Mama opossum and her babies will be grateful!
10525 Clapp Simms Duda Rd. Orlando Thank you!!

08/10/2024

Tickets are still available! Purchase yours today before they’re gone!

Join us once again and help solve a mystery! You don't want to miss our amazing raffle items either. Of course, there may be a few mysterious creatures to meet as well.

Address

10525 Clapp Simms Duda Road
Orlando, FL
32832

Opening Hours

Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm
Friday	9am - 4pm
Saturday	9am - 4pm
Sunday	9am - 4pm

Telephone

+14075685138

Website

https://www.btnwildlife.org/donate/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge:

Videos

It’s Stinker Saturday!

These two are always up to no good! Freedom is just around the corner! #stripedskunk #rescueraiserehabrelease #wildliferehab #backtonature

Our early morning grounds check often involves guilt trips by the residents who know how much they deserve our attention 💜 Koko the emu is one of many amazing non-releasable rescues we care for. She’s been with us since 1997 and loves her daily pets and caretakers. Koko was found as a stray running along John Young Parkway and was safely captured and transported to BTN by an Orange County animal services officer named Ace Ventura! True story! After no one claimed her, she became a member of the BTN animal family. We estimate she is atleast 28-30 years old now. The emu is a flightless bird that is native to Australia and is the tallest native bird there. It is the only living member of the Dromaiidae family, which also includes cassowaries. Emus can run at speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour! #fridayfeelgood #emu #kokotheemu #backtonaturewildliferefuge #btnwildlife

Looking into a mirror #firsttime

Rose the lemur got a mirror today and is a bit baffled 😆🥰 #whosthatgirl

Soooo many baby crows in our nursery. Thankful our volunteers have been doing a great job keeping up with them! Full, sleepy bellies! 🩷💙❤️

Don’t let her fool you, her and her siblings are viscous! 😆But…she does have a request!! We need canned cat food and clean linens (Tshirts, sheets, pillow cases, baby blankets, and light blankets) for her OPOSSUM friends! Stop by any day between 9-4pm for drop off or use our Amazon wishlist! 10525 Clapp Simms Duda Rd. Orlando, FL 32832 https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/KMQ1GQ1ZQFXW #coyote #wildliferehab #rescueraiserehabrelease

When you come in just for a shampoo and end getting a free styling too! #opossum #fleabath #babyseason #mohawk #freshandclean ☺️ #rescueraiserehabrelease #wildliferehab

Baby opossum season is here! Mama’s will be out and about, both night and day. Take extra precautions when driving at night to avoid hitting a mother crossing the road as she might not survive a car hit but her babies may still be alive in her pouch and will perish if it rescued! Keep an eye on your pets, (especially your dogs) when letting them out into the backyard. It’s very possible that mom could be passing through the yard and will scurry off quickly when alerted to a dog. This can lead to babies falling off of her and being left behind. Mom cannot come back to retrieve her young like other wildlife so these babies will automatically become orphaned and extremely vulnerable. Opossums are amazing creatures with exceptional qualities, so please do your part to respect wildlife, and help when you can!

We love when the Easter Bunny strikes! 🐰🐇💜🩵🩷💚💛 #hoppyeaster

Happy Easter! *Photos of our past bunny ambassadors, Tik Tok and Starscream. 💜🩷💛💚🩵

Gumball, the dwarf Virginia Opossum, sucking her back paw’s opposable thumb.Opossums are the only north american marsupial, full of amazing qualities that help our environment. Gumball is non-releasable due to her congenital birth defects. Therefore, she has been deemed one of our educational ambassadors for her species. #opossumsareawesome