At Amazing Animals, you're not simply visiting a collection of animals. You're stepping into decades of professional zoological experience, conservation leadership, and accredited animal care that few private wildlife facilities can offer.

More Than 25 Years Working With Wildlife

I've dedicated more than two decades to caring for wildlife, beginning my career as a dolphin trainer at Discovery Cove before serving as Director of NatureWorks at the Orlando Science Center and eventually founding Amazing Animals. Throughout my career I've worked with hundreds of species, managed animal collections, helped achieve accreditation standards, and trained both animals and animal care professionals. Every tour we give is built on that experience—not just entertainment. When I introduce you to our sloths, capybaras, reptiles, birds, or other ambassadors, you're hearing stories from someone who has spent a career studying their behavior, husbandry, welfare, and conservation.

ZAA Accreditation Isn't Just a Logo

Amazing Animals is proudly accredited by the Zoological Association of America (ZAA)—an achievement that requires meeting rigorous standards for animal welfare, veterinary care, safety, conservation, education, and professional operations. Accreditation isn't something you earn once and forget. It represents years of planning, documentation, inspections, and continuous improvement. As someone who has participated in accreditation from multiple perspectives—including preparing facilities, leading teams, and serving within the zoological profession—I understand exactly what exceptional animal care should look like. When you visit us, you can feel confident you're supporting a facility committed to professional zoological standards rather than simply offering animal encounters.

Helping Shape the Future of Zoos

Beyond Amazing Animals, I also founded Zoo Industry Services, where I work with zoos, aquariums, wildlife parks, and conservation organizations across North America. That work includes helping facilities improve:

• Animal welfare
• Guest experiences
• Staff training
• Conservation planning
• Accreditation preparation
• Strategic planning
• Educational programming

In other words, the same person guiding your private tour is also helping improve zoological facilities throughout the industry. That perspective allows us to continually refine the experiences we offer while always putting animal welfare first.

Conservation Doesn't End at Our Front Gate

Conservation is much more than a donation box. I also serve as Executive Director and President of the Feline Conservation Foundation (FCF), an international nonprofit dedicated to protecting wild cats through conservation, education, responsible ownership, and advocacy. Through that work, I've helped:

• Build partnerships with conservation researchers around the world
• Support Geoffroy's Cat and Jaguar conservation projects
• Develop professional husbandry education for zoo professionals
• Raise more than $150,000 for conservation initiatives in recent years
• Advocate for wildlife policy and responsible zoological management at the national level

Many of the stories you'll hear during your visit come directly from working with conservationists, researchers, and zoological professionals around the globe.

Real Animal Welfare Creates Better Experiences

One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that the "best" animal encounter means the most physical interaction. In reality, the best encounters are the ones where animals choose to participate. Our sloths aren't passed from guest to guest. Our capybaras aren't forced to interact. Every encounter is built around choice, control, and positive relationships with the animals. Because we only conduct a limited number of private tours each day, our animals remain relaxed, engaged, and excited to see their caregivers. That creates something much more meaningful than a scripted attraction—it creates genuine moments between people and wildlife.

Education That Lasts a Lifetime

Our goal has never been simply to let guests pet an animal. We want every visitor to leave understanding why these animals matter, how they live in the wild, and what each of us can do to protect wildlife and wild places. Whether you're meeting our famous capybaras, learning surprising facts about sloths, or discovering one of our rare species, every experience is designed to inspire curiosity, compassion, and conservation. That's what makes Amazing Animals different.

Visit One of Florida's Most Unique Wildlife Experiences

If you're looking for the best private animal encounters in Florida, a sloth encounter near Orlando, a capybara encounter in Florida, or an authentic wildlife experience near Disney, we invite you to experience Amazing Animals. You'll meet incredible animals, create unforgettable memories, and spend time with a team whose lives have been dedicated to animal care, conservation, education, and helping zoos around the world become even better. That's an experience you simply won't find anywhere else.