Things got a little wild at the O’Dare Boga Group ONE Sotheby’s International Realty office during a series of intimate gatherings that included alligators, birds and snakes, oh my!
Julia Busch, a recent addition to the team, chose to feature the wildlife sanctuary her family has supported for more than 30 years through the Peter W. Busch Family Foundation to rehabilitate wounded wildlife and provide environmental education. Each year, more than 150,000 people visit the sanctuary, the only one of its kind in the area, according to Peter Busch.
The nonprofit cares for more than 6,000 native wildlife annually and, although the goal is to rehabilitate and re-release them, some 200 animals live at the sanctuary, unable to be re-released, due to permanent injury or habituation.
Among the menagerie brought to the new office, an Eastern screech owl and a great horned owl wisely seemed to ask, “If people don’t help take care of us ‘whoo’ will?”
Nigel, a brown pelican, wandered around as if looking for a permanent place to roost, winning the hearts of everyone in attendance, despite his fishy breath, in his role as a sanctuary ambassador.
Peter Busch explained that what started as a small hospital has evolved over the years as injuries to native wildlife continue to increase. Education is an essential component in their quest to reduce wildlife injuries, 98 percent of which are caused by humans.
“The more that we can get people to realize how important this is, the better it is for the animals,” he added.
“We definitely would not be where we are if it weren’t for the kindness of the Busch family and the Busch Family Foundation, who partnered with a very small wildlife hospital decades ago and turned it into what it is today,” said Amy Kight, BWR executive director.
Having outgrown their current facility, they have raised about $6 million toward an $18 million Capital Campaign to increase the sanctuary’s size from its current 11-acre property, leased from the Loxahatchee River District, to a newly purchased 20-acre property in Jupiter Farms.
The expansion will include habitat areas for several varieties of birds, deer, foxes, raccoons, bald eagles, bobcats, bears, Florida panthers, a serpentarium, otter, alligator, crocodile, tortoises, state-of-the-art rehabilitation facilities for each species, an avian flight complex, amphitheater and education facilities.
“The great thing about the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary is how it is reaching out to the public and how through education we’re able to not only try to save these magnificent creatures that live in the state of Florida but also engage young kids so that they’re able to realize how important it is for us to live in perpetuity and harmony with these creatures,” said David Busch.
“As the animals continue to lose their habitat and more and more people move to the area, it’s important for us to raise awareness about all the beautiful animals that live in our area. The Busch Wildlife Sanctuary is a very special place,” added Julia Busch.
For more information, visit buschwildlife.org.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
