Nature World Wildlife Rescue Sanctuary, Inc.

10/24/2026

💔 With heavy hearts, we share the passing of our beloved Benjamin the Virginia opossum.

Benjamin’s journey began with us at Nature World Wildlife Sanctuary after he survived a dog attack as a tiny baby. The attack left him with lasting neurological and physical challenges that prevented him from safely returning to the wild.

Our volunteers helped care for Benjamin during his rehabilitation, and he held an especially precious place in the heart of our volunteer, David. The time, patience, and love poured into caring for an animal create a bond that stays with you long after they leave our sanctuary.

Although a return to the wild wasn’t possible for Benjamin, his story continued at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where he found a home and became a much-loved wildlife ambassador. There, he helped visitors learn about opossums and develop an appreciation for these often-misunderstood wild neighbors.

We are grateful to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium team for welcoming Benjamin into their family and caring for him. Our hearts are with his caregivers, everyone who loved meeting him, and especially David as we grieve this loss together.

Benjamin reminds us why every second chance matters. His life touched people beyond our sanctuary, and we will always be thankful we were part of his journey.

Rest peacefully, sweet Benjamin. You were deeply loved, and you will always be part of our Nature World family. 🐾🤍

https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/beloved-member-of-cma-family-benjamin-the-virginia-opossum-dies/?fbclid=IwdGRzaAVHHsdjbGNrBUceL2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHBkb2YFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEe5hD8ioD6z6lA51YMS-EiplC12yRO2xB6Ib5taKb4hqON9Z_UIQzsmHq1Db0_aem_Y4mre4kKz6uUh9nuaoiTcA

Benjamin, a Virginia opossum who was welcomed to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in 2024, has died, the aquarium announced.

10/23/2026

🦅👻 The votes are in! Phantom is the new name of our American bald eagle!

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped us choose a name. Say hello to Phantom! 🧡

10/22/2026

🧶💚 Thankful Thursday 💚🧶

A heartfelt thank-you to the Citrus County Crochet Club and Debbie Tripoli, Maureen Landers, Jeff Landers, and Michelle Brooks for the beautiful nests they crocheted for our wildlife patients! 🐣🐿️

These nests help comfort a variety of animals—from baby squirrels, bunnies, and opossums to baby songbirds and raptors, and even our bigger patients! Each handmade nest brings a cozy touch to their time in our care. ❤️

Your time, talent, and kindness mean so much to all of us at Nature World Wildlife Sanctuary. Thank you for stitching a little love into our patients’ journey back to the wild! 🐾

10/21/2026

🦅🎃 Help name our newest patient!

Today, we welcomed an American bald eagle into care at Nature World Wildlife Sanctuary! In the spirit of Halloween, we’ve narrowed the names down to:

🔮 Hocus Pocus
👻 Phantom
🪄 Voodoo
🌫️ Specter
🌙 Banshee
🦖 Scare-a-dactyl

Which name gets your vote? Let us know in the comments! 🧡

10/14/2026

💜🐾 WISHING WEDNESDAY — Small Wishes Make a BIG Difference! 🐾💚

Every day at Nature World Wildlife Sanctuary, we open our hearts and doors to Florida's injured, orphaned, and sick native wildlife. 🦅🦉🐿️🦌🐇

From tiny baby squirrels and cottontails to opossums, fawns, eagles, owls, hawks, and so many more, each patient has a different story, but they all have one thing in common — they need our help to get a second chance at life! ❤️

Some need around-the-clock feedings, others require medical treatment, and many spend weeks or months recovering before they are strong enough to return to the wild.

💚 This is where YOU can make a difference!

It costs approximately $8,000 EVERY MONTH to provide the food, formula, medical care, cleaning supplies, enrichment, housing, and other necessities our wildlife patients depend on.

We receive no government funding, so we rely on the kindness and generosity of our amazing community to continue our mission.

🌿 Our wishlists are filled with everyday essentials that help us care for the animals!

📦 AMAZON WISHLIST:
https://a.co/0891W5LT

🛒 WALMART WISHLIST:
https://www.walmart.com/registry/rr/b8a5428a-1647-4764-8538-1bcc116e3ef1

🌎 OUR WEBSITE:
https://natureworldrescue.com

Whether it's a package of paper towels, a container of formula, fresh produce, meats, cleaning supplies, or a monetary donation, EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!

Every item donated means one less expense and more resources available to care for the animals who need us most.

❤️ CAN'T DONATE? YOU CAN STILL HELP! ❤️

Every LIKE 👍, COMMENT 💬, and SHARE 🔄 helps us reach more people and also helps us generate monetary support through social media to provide for the patients in our care!

Your engagement truly makes a difference, and it doesn't cost a thing!

🐾 Together, we can give Florida's native wildlife the second chance they deserve!

Thank you for being part of our wildlife family and helping us continue to RESCUE • REHABILITATE • RELEASE! 💚🦅

10/13/2026

🦉🌿 TIPS & TRICKS TUESDAY! 🌿🦉

🚨 WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND AN INJURED OWL! 🚨

Owls are magnificent birds of prey that play an important role in keeping our ecosystem balanced. Unfortunately, these beautiful birds can become injured from vehicle strikes, window collisions, attacks by other animals, and other dangers.

❤️ Knowing what to do could save an owl's life!

🦉 SIGNS AN OWL MAY NEED HELP:
✅ Unable to stand, fly, or maintain its balance
✅ One or both wings are drooping
✅ Visible wounds or bleeding
✅ Appears weak, disoriented, or unresponsive
✅ Has been struck by a vehicle or flown into a window
✅ Is in immediate danger from other animals

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Not every owl found on the ground is injured! Young owls may spend time on the ground while learning to fly. When in doubt, contact a wildlife rehabilitator before intervening.

🦉 HOW TO HELP AN INJURED OWL SAFELY:

1️⃣ Stay calm and keep your distance. Owls have extremely sharp talons and powerful beaks. Even an injured owl can cause serious injuries.

2️⃣ Call a wildlife rescue first! A trained rehabilitator can guide you through the safest steps. Never attempt to handle an owl if you feel unsafe.

3️⃣ If instructed to contain the owl, wear thick protective gloves and carefully cover it with a towel or lightweight blanket.

4️⃣ Place the owl in a secure, ventilated cardboard box lined with a soft towel. Keep it somewhere dark, quiet, and warm until help arrives.

🚫 PLEASE REMEMBER:
❌ Never offer food or water.
❌ Never attempt to straighten a wing or treat an injury yourself.
❌ Never force an owl to fly.
❌ Keep children and pets away.
❌ Do not attempt to keep an owl as a pet.

💚 Every life matters, and every rescue begins with someone who cares enough to help!

At Nature World Wildlife Sanctuary, we work to give injured, sick, and orphaned native Florida wildlife a second chance at life.

📞 Found an injured owl? Call us!

Nature World Wildlife Sanctuary
📱 352-621-5575
🌐 www.natureworldrescue.com
📍 Homosassa, Florida

🦉 Please SHARE this post! You never know who may come across an injured owl and need this information.

💚 Every like, comment, and share helps us help the wildlife in our care!

10/07/2026

💜🐾 WISHING WEDNESDAY! 🐾💚

Every wish—big or small—helps us give Florida’s native wildlife the second chance they deserve. 🦅🦉🐿️🐇🦌

Each day, Nature World Wildlife Sanctuary cares for orphaned, injured, and sick wildlife. Some patients need formula and around-the-clock care to grow, while others need medical treatment, nutritious food, safe housing, and time to recover before they can return to the wild.

It costs approximately $8,000 every month to care for the animals. From formula, meats and fresh produce to cleaning supplies, enrichment, medical needs, bedding, and housing supplies, your support helps make our work possible.

💚 Want to help this Wishing Wednesday?

📦 Our Amazon Wishlist:
https://a.co/0891W5LT

🛒 Our Walmart Wishlist:
https://www.walmart.com/registry/rr/b8a5428a-1647-4764-8538-1bcc116e3ef1

🌿 Our Website:
Natureworldrescue.com

Every wishlist purchase and donation helps provide another meal, another day of care, and another opportunity for a wild patient to heal and eventually return home. ❤️

Can't donate today? Every like, comment, and share helps us help the patients in our care! Simply interacting with and sharing our posts helps us reach more people and supports our mission through social media.

Thank you for being part of our wildlife family and helping us Rescue • Rehabilitate • Release Florida's native wildlife. 🐾🌿

10/06/2026

🎃🦉 Keep Halloween Spooky for Us—Not Dangerous for Wildlife! 🦇🐿️

Halloween decorations are fun, festive, and a great way to celebrate the season, but some of our favorite decorations can create unexpected dangers for our wild neighbors.

🕸️ Fake spider webs, netting, and mesh can entangle birds, bats, squirrels, and other small animals.
💡 Bright or flashing lights can disrupt nocturnal wildlife—use timers and turn them off when you can.
🎃 Pumpkins and decorations can attract curious animals. Keep decorations secure and remove pumpkins when they begin to spoil.
🍫 Candy, wrappers, and other treats should always be picked up and kept away from wildlife.
🌽 Hay bales and cornstalks make great hiding places! Check carefully for snakes and other animals before moving them.
🔊 Loud or motion-activated decorations can frighten and stress wildlife, especially when placed near trees, bushes, or natural areas.

Before putting up your Halloween display, take a moment to look at it from a wild animal's point of view. Could something become tangled? Could it be swallowed? Could an animal become trapped?

A few simple changes can make a BIG difference. 🧡

🎃 Have fun. Be spooky. Decorate responsibly and keep wildlife safe! 🦉🦇🐿️🦝

From all of us at Nature World Wildlife Rescue, have a safe and wildlife-friendly Halloween season! 🧡🖤

10/06/2026

🩷🐰 Found a Baby Eastern Cottontail? Before You Rescue—Observe First! 🐰🌿

Baby cottontails are often mistaken for being abandoned because Mom spends very little time at the nest. This is completely normal! Mother cottontails usually visit their babies only twice a day, around dusk and dawn, to nurse them. Staying away from the nest helps keep predators from discovering where her babies are hiding.

If you discover a nest that has been disturbed, you can gently place the babies back inside and cover the nest with the original grass, leaves, and fur. Human scent will not automatically cause Mom to abandon her babies. ❤️

🎀 To see whether Mom is returning, place brightly colored ribbon in a zigzag pattern over the top of the nest without blocking her access. You can also place a camera nearby and check for her visits without repeatedly disturbing the nest.

🐇 And remember—they grow up FAST! Eastern cottontails normally leave their nest at only about 3–4 weeks old. A small rabbit that is fully furred, bright-eyed, alert, and hopping around may already be independent.

🚫 Please do not feed a baby rabbit or give it milk or water. Their digestive systems are extremely sensitive, and improper feeding can cause serious problems.

If a baby is injured, cold, weak, has been caught by a cat or dog, or you're simply unsure what to do, contact a permitted wildlife rehabilitator before intervening.

Sometimes helping wildlife means knowing when NOT to rescue. 💚

Nature World Wildlife Rescue
🌿 Rescue • Rehab • Release 🌿
Together, we can make a difference for Florida's wildlife!