Siesta Beach is a beach located on Siesta Key in the U.S. state of Florida. Unlike beaches elsewhere that are made up mostly of pulverized coral, Siesta Beach's sand is 99% quartz, most of which comes from the Appalachian Mountains. Over time the feldspar and mica have been removed from the rock, leaving almost pure quartz. Even on the hottest days, the sand is so reflective that it feels cool underfoot. According to Harvard University geologists, it's estimated that the sand on Siesta Beach and Crescent Beach on Siesta Key is millions of years old, having its origin in the Appalachians and flowing down the rivers from the mountains until it eventually was deposited on the shores of Siesta Key. The southern portion of Siesta Beach is alternatively called Crescent Beach, which extends to the seawall and Point of Rocks, an area with coral and active marine life. Siesta Beach is not only long but also expansively wide, especially around the Siesta Key Beach Pavilion section. The beach is so wide the city installed walking mats to help beachgoers get to the shore, where they can then walk on firmer wet sand. Wikipedia

Sarasota Jungle Gardens is a tourist attraction located in Sarasota, Florida, United States since 1939. The gardens contain over 10 acres of botanical plantings along with bird and animal shows. It is open to the public for a per-use ticket fee, as well as offering yearly membership passes for those wishing to visit frequently. Wikipedia

The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is a 15-acre botanical garden located at 900 South Palm Avenue in Sarasota, Florida. The Gardens are located on the grounds of the former home of Marie and William Selby. Wikipedia

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is the official state art museum of Florida, located in Sarasota, Florida. It was established in 1927 as the legacy of Mable Burton Ringling and John Ringling for the people of Florida. Florida State University assumed governance of the museum in 2000. The institution offers 21 galleries of European paintings as well as Cypriot antiquities and Asian, American, and contemporary art. The museum's art collection currently consists of more than 10,000 objects that include a variety of paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, photographs, and decorative arts from ancient through contemporary periods and from around the world. The most celebrated items in the museum are 16th–20th-century European paintings, including a world-renowned collection of Peter Paul Rubens paintings. Other artists represented include Benjamin West, Marcel Duchamp, Mark Kostabi, Diego Velázquez, Paolo Veronese, Rosa Bonheur, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Giuliano Finelli, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Frans Hals, Nicolas Poussin, Joseph Wright of Derby, Thomas Gainsborough, Eugène Boudin, and Benedetto Pagni. Wikipedia

The Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary in Sarasota, Florida has absolutely no affiliation or connection of any kind with Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida. Due to the similarity in the facilities’ names, many people have confused our sanctuary with the Tampa facility owned by Carole Baskin.

Founded in 1987 by Kay Rosaire & family and becoming a 501c3 non-profit organization in 2005, Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary in Sarasota has become the safe, loving and permanent home of over 150 exotic and domestic animals. Our mission is not only to provide the best animal care possible but to preserve the human/animal connection in our world.

By working closely with all state and federal animal care and wildlife agencies and employing qualified animal care technicians we not only meet but exceed all animal care requirements and have a violation-free record. We deeply appreciate your continuing support in our mission to help these animals in need.