There’s a great spot in South Florida where families can learn about nature, conservation and see wild cats just feet away.Panther Ridge in Loxahatchee is an endangered exotic cat conservation center that is home to 26 cats of ten different species. According to Judy Berens, Executive Director of Panther Ridge, the center takes in big and small cats that have all been born in captivity and are not able to live in the wild. Some of these cats come from neglectful situations.While providing a home for the previously overlooked felines, the center also works as a breeding facility for species that have a dwindling population.“We’ve had a great deal of success. However, I will say we only breed on request,” said Berens.Leopards, cheetahs, Florida panthers and servals are just a few of the four-legged creatures at the sanctuary. They can all be seen by the public on one of their guided tours.“They can have a director’s tour…it would be a much more comprehensive tour that would last almost two hours and they would get to feed some of the cats,” said Berens.Berens says that Panther Ridge is open to tours to help bring awareness to these animals and the struggles they face in the wild. Many of the cats at the sanctuary are labeled as “endangered” or “threatened”. “We have people who come out and say ‘that’s a tiger!’ ‘No, that’s a leopard.’ People really don’t know really much about these animals,” explained Berens.The sanctuary is open to tours every day, but must be booked ahead of time.
There’s a great spot in South Florida where families can learn about nature, conservation and see wild cats just feet away.
Panther Ridge in Loxahatchee is an endangered exotic cat conservation center that is home to 26 cats of ten different species. According to Judy Berens, Executive Director of Panther Ridge, the center takes in big and small cats that have all been born in captivity and are not able to live in the wild. Some of these cats come from neglectful situations.
While providing a home for the previously overlooked felines, the center also works as a breeding facility for species that have a dwindling population.
“We’ve had a great deal of success. However, I will say we only breed on request,” said Berens.
Leopards, cheetahs, Florida panthers and servals are just a few of the four-legged creatures at the sanctuary. They can all be seen by the public on one of their guided tours.
“They can have a director’s tour…it would be a much more comprehensive tour that would last almost two hours and they would get to feed some of the cats,” said Berens.
Berens says that Panther Ridge is open to tours to help bring awareness to these animals and the struggles they face in the wild. Many of the cats at the sanctuary are labeled as “endangered” or “threatened”.
“We have people who come out and say ‘that’s a tiger!’ ‘No, that’s a leopard.’ People really don’t know really much about these animals,” explained Berens.
The sanctuary is open to tours every day, but must be booked ahead of time.