Housed in Lake County just outside Umatilla, Fla., on CR 452 on 85 acres, the animals are hand raised by owners Justin and Yvonne Finser, their staff and a group of volunteers and students from around the world. This means that visitors get to interact with the animals while learning about habitats, endangerment, propagation and general species. Nearby are Bengal tigers named Diva, Sexy and Macho. Retired in style is Rocky the chimpanzee, who has appeared on the David Letterman, Jack Hanna and Jay Leno shows. The animals also are taken in small groups to nearby Lake Yale for a relaxing and playful swim.
Education is the cornerstone of effective preservation.
What better way to educate people, than to let them close to animals, to let them observe their behavior in a highly personalized manner. They live on site and participate in classes about animal behavior, practical handling, nutritional science, toxicology and more. They swing from person to person, perching for a moment on a student's shoulders or head before moving on to explore the next student or joining in a high-speed chase around the room with fellow primates. They also enjoy watching television. Rocky, the chimpanzee watches cartoons and talk shows including, Jerry Springer, Oprah and Montel Williams.