http://www.elmiraswildlife.org/ Note: The Sanctuary is presently closed while setting up in their new location. Elmira's Wildlife Sanctuary in Wimauma. The little-known animal sanctuary a few miles north of the Manatee-Hillsborough border provides a home to lions, tigers, leopards and cougars. It is a place where bears, lemurs, parrots and other exotic animals will live out their days. The sanctuary, which recently opened its doors to the public, is the last chance for many of its inhabitants.

The big cats came from sanctuaries that shut down or from private collectors for whom the animals became too difficult to handle.

Wild cats are most valuable in their first year, when as cute cubs they draw crowds to zoos and can be handled by the public, said Scott Lope, director of operations at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa.

But the animals, which can live for upward of 20 years, are often unwanted after that.
Big Cat Rescue cares for about 130 wild cats and fields about 100 calls a year from people trying to unload tigers, lions, bobcats and other exotics.

"They grow up very quickly," Lope said. "They're dangerous, scary animals, and there's no place for these animals to go once they have outlived their usefulness."

That is where places like Elmira's come in.