Wildlife Encounters
The Florida Keys are home to remarkable neighbors, from dolphins and sea turtles to butterflies, Key deer, and countless native and migrating birds. Here you can visit rehabilitation centers, aquariums, and sanctuaries that care for injured wildlife while offering visitors a chance to learn and connect. Hand-feed giant tarpon, watch butterflies drift by, or join a charter to spot marine life in the wild. We invite you to meet these creatures, fall in love with them as we have, and help us keep The Keys clean and healthy so our wildlife can thrive for generations.
Filters
Marathon
Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters
Explore interactive marine life encounters and touch tanks at Florida Keys Aquarium!
Weddings Max
300
Key West
Captain's Corner Dive Center and Boat Charters
Dive Key West’s stunning reefs and wrecks with expert guides at Captain’s Corner!
Key West
Reef Relief
Nonprofit protecting and restoring Florida’s coral reefs through science, advocacy, and education.
Islamorada
Crustacean Plantation
Crustacean Plantation Inc. is a nonprofit sanctuary in Tavernier dedicated to conserving native Florida Keys hermit crabs—known as "Purple Pinchers"—through habitat support, education, and community outreach.
Key West
The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory — a tropical glass-domed haven where hundreds of free-flying butterflies, exotic birds, and flamingos enchant visitors in the heart of Key West.
Key West
Sea Monkey Ocean Adventures
Exciting Key West boat tours and ocean adventures — snorkeling, sunset cruises & more.
Islamorada
Theater of the Sea
Theater of the Sea — immersive marine life shows and animal interaction programs in Islamorada, Florida Keys.
Key West
Monroe County Sheriff's Office Animal Farm
Keys Animal Farm is a non-profit sanctuary established in 1994, offering a permanent home to rescued animals in the Florida Keys.
The Lower Keys
WILD about DOLPHINS-Captain Sheri's
Wild About Dolphins — private eco-boat tours and wild dolphin encounters departing from Key West, Florida.
Key Largo
Morning Star Sailing Charters
Morning Star Sailing Charters offers personalized sailing experiences in the Florida Keys, including captained and bareboat charters, sunset cruises, and snorkeling tours.
Key Largo
JD Butterfly Garden and Nursery
JD Butterfly Garden & Nursery — butterfly garden, plant nursery & bistro in Key Largo, where you’ll stroll tropical gardens, shop native plants and relax at a charming café.
The Lower Keys
National Key Deer Refuge
National Key Deer Refuge protects the endangered Key deer and native ecosystems in the Lower Florida Keys — a sanctuary of nature you can explore via trails and observation points.
The Lower Keys
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge
Protected sanctuary in the Florida Keys for wading birds, sea turtles, and marine life.
Key Largo
Florida Keys Wild Bird Center
Rescue, rehabilitate, and protect wild birds at Florida Keys' inspiring sanctuary.
