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

Back To Nature Wildlife Refuge

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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!
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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!

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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.

06/27/2025

Oh hay there!!! 🐐

Did you know goats have rectangular pupils? This allows them to have a 320-340 degree field of view.

06/20/2025

It's Freedom Friday! This lucky duck is flying free once again! She came to us after being attacked by two other ducks and was nearly drowned. Thankfully, she was rescued just in time and brought to us, where she received pain management and antibiotics before receiving physical therapy in an outdoor habitat. After lots of walks and swim time she was ready to waddle back to her original home & back to nature! Did you know Ducks can sleep with one eye open! This is called unihemispheric sleep. They shut down one half of their brain to rest while keeping the other half alert for danger. They don't always do this, but when they do it's pretty wild!

06/18/2025

It's only the middle of the week?! Enjoy some moments of zen with our residents to relieve some of that stress.Did you know tortoises have a great sense of smell? They have a special organ, known as Jacobson's organ, on the roofs of their mouths.For that reason, aromatherapy is a great enrichment for our resident torts!

06/15/2025

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! 🎉

Shout out to all the awesome dads out there, including the RED FOX! 🦊
Though the animal world and human world can differ greatly when it comes to raising their young, some male animals actually father alongside their female mate, like the red fox.
The father fox is very involved in raising the kits, teaching them essential skills like foraging. Initially, he provides food for the mother while she nurses the kits in the den. Later, he engages in play with the young and eventually teaches them to hunt.

For the first month after birth, the male red fox ensures the mother and pups are fed, doing all of the hunting and delivering the food to the den every few hours. Once the pups are older, the father fox plays an active role in teaching them important survival skills like hunting and foraging. He also provides security by patrolling the den to ward off predators.

FUN FACT: Male foxes tend to raise their young in a “tough love” approach to encourage pups to become independent. Fox parents, especially the father, may gradually reduce food as the pups mature so they will begin learning how to hunt on their own.

So this Father’s Day, feel free to call your parenting partner a “fox” if you think they relate to this species. 😉🦊

Photo feature: Taylor the Red Fox

06/14/2025

Ouch! 🤕

This raccoon kit arrived to BTN with facial injuries, malnourished, lethargic and dehydrated. And while we didn’t know exactly what occurred, we did know his injuries and health condition were treatable. After a couple weeks of supportive care, he’s finally able to join a group😊.

So now it’s time to grow! ..

We release raccoons around 5-6 months of age, so this little guy still has a ways to go until he will be ready for the wild. With his new group of raccoon buddies, they’ll learn the ways of the wild together in their outdoor hackout.

Raccoon fun facts🦝:

Notice something interesting about his fur?

Raccoon kits' fur changes color as they get older, and there are a couple of notable ways this happens..

Darkening fur: As raccoon kits mature, their fur will generally start to darken.

Developing mask and rings: While the characteristic black mask and tail rings are visible early in life, they are initially faint and less dense. It takes a few months for them to become pronounced and the fur to fully grow in.
This gradual change in fur color and pattern development is a normal part of their growth process, influenced by both their genes and their environment.

Did you know the environment can influence the amount and type of stripes they have?😮

06/09/2025

We have two interior designers here at the refuge!These two young armadillos came in as orphans, each with their own story. One arrived in good health, while the other was battling an upper respiratory infection and needed a bit of extra medical care, including antibiotics, before he was introduced to his buddy.Armadillos are surprisingly good nesters. In the wild, they'll create burrows and line them with leaves, grass, and anything else they can find.Even in rehab, we see that natural instinct kick in. These two are almost ready for release, and it won't be long before they're back in the wild designing their own burrows.

06/06/2025

We just took in our 600th opossum of the year! 🥳

Opossums are one of our most common patients, and for good reason. A single mother can have up to 13 babies at once. Sadly, many of the opossums in our care are orphaned after their mother is hit by a car or attacked by another animal.

Some of the tiniest babies arrive needing round the clock care, including feedings every few hours, warmth, and sometimes medical treatment, until they’re strong enough to eat on their own.

If you ever find a deceased opossum, and it’s safe to check, look for a pouch. Joeys can survive for hours and may still be alive. Getting them to a licensed rehabber quickly can save these little lives. 🙏🐾

Thank you all so much fort the canned food donations and please continue to send as we will definitely have use for it!

06/05/2025

📣📣📣DONATION ITEMS REQUEST! 🙏

With summer right around the corner, this little opossum is here to remind you to stay cool and hydrated!
Our growing opossum babies are also still in need of alot of canned cat food. We go through nearly a case a day to keep these hungry bellies full! We are also requesting p*e pads for our rabbit care 🐰
Want to help? Check out our wishlist!

https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/KMQ1GQ1ZQFXW

05/24/2025

Good morning! ☀️ Emerald has a request for canned cat food for her opossum buddies. At this time we are only requesting canned cat food, Tshirts, sheets, and pillow cases due to limited storage space. If you’re willing to donate any of these items, you are welcome to drop off just inside our parking lot between 9-4 any day, at
10525 Clapps Simms Duda Rd. Orlando

🚪At this time, we remain closed for visitors as our much anticipated reopening will be coming later this summer. TBD

Our wishlist currently includes gift cards, Canned cat food and visitor center wishlist items. Please consider donating😊:

https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/KMQ1GQ1ZQFXW

THANK YOU!!!!☺️

05/11/2025

Happy Mother’s Day to the super moms of the wild, the Virginia Opossum 🩷

Opossum moms work overtime caring for their babies. As marsupials, they can have up to 13 nursing babies at a time. They start by carrying their tiny babies in a pouch, and once the babies are big enough, they ride on her back until they fall off and then wander onto their own! 😮Have you ever seen a mama opossum with a whole bundle of babies riding on her back? 🐾

05/10/2025

Apparently being a bobcat doesn't mean you're above typical cat behavior.Bobcats may be wild, but they share a lot of behaviors with domestic cats like playing, grooming, purring, and loving boxes.Just remember no matter how cute they are, they are not pets!

02/16/2025

The Fence Fundraiser is a Wrap – We Did It! 🎉

Guess what? Thanks to YOU, we’ve officially hit our fundraising goal for the fence project! That’s right— we are now one step closer to reopening! This fence will create a safe, quite space for our rehab animals to prepare to be released back into the wild, all while you guys get to enjoy our wildlife walk with our resident animals! 🐿️🦉🐐

Taylor is especially happy he just gets to sit back, relax, and watch the humans do the building for him. 🦊🔨

THANK YOU for being part of something amazing. Stay tuned for updates as we get closer to reopening! 😉

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/

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