McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary

At first, the McCarthy Wildlife Sanctuary might not sound all that exciting. What if I told you there was usually a month long waiting list to get in? Thats right, a month long waiting list to get into a wildlife sanctuary. That’s because McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary is unique in that they give one on one private tours of the facility and its animals. Think of a McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary as a really cool version of a petting zoo.

McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary is a not-for-profit wildlife rehabilitation facility. Every year, receives hundreds of sick or injured wild animals. The staff at McCarthy’s takes care of these animals and then releases back into the wild. The Sanctuary survives primarily on donations, but also gets revenue by letting people come visit the animals.

What to Expect

The Sanctuary was much different than you might expect. It is not a drive through tour where you could see the animals from afar. The animals are not in cages, and you are actually allowed to get incredibly close, and even touch many of them! How it works, is you get an absolutely private tour of the facility. The staff will tell you about each animal and how they arrived at McCarthy’s. They will let you meet one animal at a time, and as a result you get incredible photo opportunities!

This might sound really frightening when you consider that McCarthy’s houses everything from lions to snakes. But Mark McCarthy, the director of the sanctuary, has more than thirty years of experience with wild animals. There has never been an incident at the sanctuary, and that is because they have very strict rules that protect you, as well as the animals.

McCarthy’s has housed all kinds of animals, including black leopards, lemurs, kinkajous, and great horned owls. Most of the exotic animals that have been donated to McCarthy’s were taken away from their owners who neglected or abused them.

McCarthy’s is so much better than the zoo because you get a totally private tour. No problems with parking, and no crowds keeping your little ones from being able to see the animals. It is amazing to be so close to lions, tigers and other large cats, and to get to touch exotic birds and monkeys! And believe it or not, it does not cost much more than the zoo does to have such an amazing experience!

Tips for Visiting

McCarthy’s charges $20.00 per adult $10.00 per child for a private tour. It lasts from an hour to an hour and a half. Also available at McCarthy’s are larger educational group tours for schools or other organizations. It is very educational, and you also get the chance to touch the animals. These group tours cost only $350.

If you are going to visit McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary while you are in the West Palm Beach area, be sure to wear closed shoes and long pants. Even though all of the animals at McCarthy’s are kind and friendly, you still do not want to get accidentally scratched! Sunscreen is also a good idea.

Also, you should know that private guided tours of the sanctuary are available by appointment only. The sanctuary has become increasingly popular throughout the past couple of years, and their website suggests that you make your reservation a month in advance. The sanctuary does not do tours on Sunday, and they are only open for five hours each weekday. It can be hard to get a reservation time to go to McCarthy’s, but it is totally worth it! Do not miss out on such a cool once in a lifetime opportunity!