Stanley the grizzly bear going for a swim.

In 1998, Elmira’s Wildlife Sanctuary began as a collection of exotic animals by partners Ted Greenwood and David Kitchen. As Florida laws changed, and Ted and Kitchen realized the struggle of many exotic animals, Elmira’s officially became a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary in March 2006. By March 2008, Elmira’s moved to its current Wimauma location, when Ted and Kitchen passed away. Robin Greenwood, Ted’s wife, became CEO and board president at that time. It was reopened to the public in 2009.

Robin Greenwood said of Elmira’s Wildlife Sanctuary that “we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a true sanctuary. We do not buy, sell or breed animals, nor do we allow public contact with them. We have an all-volunteer staff, so all donations and income from our tours and gift shop go directly back to the care of the animals and their enclosures. We are also members of the Big Cat Alliance, which is an international network of big cat sanctuaries and partners. All of our animals come from private owners who surrender them or facilities that close. Our mission is to provide continuing care and enrichment for exotic and wild animals in need of a forever home. This means we not only feed and house them, but we give them the best life possible in captivity, such as giving them the proper diet and medical care, enrichment and training for their physical and mental health and a clean and healthy environment for them to live in.”

On March 1, Elmira’s held its second annual World Wildlife Festival and Market. The festival was free to the public and offered discounted tours, face painting, food trucks, games and raffles.

For more information on Elmira’s Wildlife Sanctuary, visit its website at https://elmiraswildlife.org. To help support Elmira’s Wildlife Sanctuary and view the exotic animals, tours are available to the public.

Lucy the leopard.

Tour days vary, so regularly checking Elmira’s calendar is a must. Adult tour costs are $15 and children (up to 12 years old) are $7.50 in donations. Tours last approximately 45 minutes to an hour, and guests can view Stanley the grizzly bear, Lucy the leopard, tigers, lions, lemurs, birds and other exotic animals.

Elmira’s can be contacted by calling 888-293-5996. Elmira’s is located at 13910 Seminole Trail in Wimauma.

Previous articleKeel Farms Hosts Its 17th Annual Blueberry Festival
Next articleEye On Business — Bloomingdale/FishHawk, April 2025
Ashley Abene
Ashley Abene
Ashley Abene has written for the Osprey Observer since 2023. She has a master’s degree in writing and literature and a bachelor’s degree in professional writing from the University of South Florida. She has taught college-level writing and literature at USF and Southeastern University for over nine years. She’s a blogger at Peace Filled Family and enjoys writing children’s books. She’s also a mom to three kids, and her husband has been serving in the military for over 20 years.