Calusa Nature Center animal care destroyed by Ian

As many of you know, Hurricane Ian hit the southwest coast of Florida very hard! Sadly, Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium was in the path of the storm with winds from 140+ mph for almost 7 hours straight! Our animal care team ensured that our Animal Ambassadors were all safe from the storm; the buildings and surrounding area took quite the beating, and we need your help to recover.

Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium is home to a wide variety of wildlife in our care due to injuries that make them unable to be released into the wild. Our “animal ambassadors,” which include three Bald Eagles, a Coopers Hawk, and other species of birds and reptiles, were all kept safe during Hurricane Ian. Our Animal Commissary and Care facility, built over 35 years ago as a wood-frame ground floor structure, was completely flooded. The building and equipment suffered extensive irreparable damage.

We must build a new and flood-resistant Commissary and replace the furnishings and animal care equipment lost in the flooding. We estimate that a new, furnished 400 sq ft raised standalone care complex with a metal roof will cost $180,000.

$180,000 sounds like an elephant-size price tag, so we ask for your support. Any donation, big or small, will make a difference. We understand not everyone can donate, but sharing this Go Fund Me to your timeline is free. Sharing helps more people see this and may inspire additional people to help us recover from Hurricane Ian!

Thank you in advance for your generosity!

More information about Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium Inc.:

The Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium is a private, not-for-profit environmental education organization in Fort Myers, Florida. Our 105-acre site has a museum, three nature trails, a Planetarium, butterfly and bird aviaries, a gift shop and meeting and picnic areas. We have provided environmental education to schools and the community for over 50 years with the mission of inspiring people to connect with nature.