Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Tampa, FL

Bobcat photograph courtesy of Big Cat Rescue 

Big Cat Rescue is a non-profit educational sanctuary in Tampa devoted to rescuing and providing a permanent home for exotic (wild, not domestic) cats that have been abused, abandoned, bred to be pets, retired from performing acts or saved from being slaughtered for fur coats. Its goal is to educate the public about these animals and the issues facing them in captivity and in the wild.

It offers a tour for children 10 and younger and a four-day summer camp for older children. The children's tour is 9-10 a.m. on Saturdays. Cost is $15/child younger than 10 and $25/person 10 and older. Free tours are available for non-profit groups.

By Beth Kamhi, DC, Volunteer and Education Director for Big Cat Rescue

Big Cat Rescue in Tampa is a non-profit educational wild-cat sanctuary. Of the more than 140 cats of 16 different species who live at the sanctuary, there are only two types that are native to Florida. Do you know who they are?

If you said Florida Panther, you are right! There are many names for this kind of cat, depending on where they live: Mountain Lion, Puma, Cougar, and Florida Panther are all types of the same cat. Florida Panthers used to be found all the way from Florida to Texas, but now there are only 80 to 100 Florida Panthers left because there are not enough natural habitats for them to make their homes.

Panthers are important to the environment. The grasses of the Everglades, the deer and the panther all depend on each other. They are at great risk of extinction. To save the panther, we must protect the remaining wild public and private lands in south Florida.

Our other native cat is the Florida Bobcat. Bobcats are small wildcats named for their short bob tails. They live all over North America, but the Florida Bobcat is generally a little smaller than her northern cousins. Southern Bobcats also seem to have a more spotted coat than the northern cats. Bobcats face threats from hunters and from ever-expanding building, which destroys their habitat. Rarely, you may catch a glimpse of a bobcat, but usually they are very shy.

The most important thing to learn is that wild cats, big or small, are not pets. They are wild by instinct. Even though they may be cute as kittens, once grown, they are wild and often dangerous. Half of the cats that live at Big Cat Rescue are pets that people did not want anymore once they grew up. So even though we all enjoy seeing these beautiful animals, it is important to leave wild animals where they belong; free and in the wild!

After moving to Tampa, Dr. Beth Kamhi discovered Big Cat Rescue online and went to take a tour. With a lifelong interest in biology, and a deep respect for all living things, her visit to Big Cat was the first time she saw wild animals in captivity without feeling anguished by their living conditions. The cats were healthy, relaxed and content, and the sanctuary's mission was admirable. She immediately decided to be a part of this very special place and began volunteering in January 2005. She has also served as Co-Ed Director with Ms. Coleen Kremer since March of 2006.

Related Being Savvy: Tampa posts
Lions, tigers and bears, oh my! Discovering the wilderness of the urban jungle

99 (or so) things to do in Tampa Bay before your children grow up