This week, I went swimming with otters. That alone stands as one of the coolest animal encounters I’ve ever had. But, it’s the amazing nonprofit organization that founded this otter swim program that has left me feeling incredibly inspired.
At Nurtured by Nature, you can have a one-of-a-kind animal encounter with creatures of all shapes and sizes. To name a few, I met a slow-moving sloth, a big eared fox and even held hands with lovable little otters. We started our day with a tour of the property to check out some of the animals.
Meet some of Nurtured by Nature’s fuzzy, scaly, feathered and prickly residents!
And now, for the best part…swimming with otters!
Did I mention there were also otter babies?!
WARNING: High levels of cuteness
What Nurtured by Nature is doing for the Community and Conservation:
- Nurtured by Nature works with organizations, such as Make a Wish foundation, to provide special nature experiences for terminally-ill children.
- Because of the high demand for sloths in zoos and nature centers, Nurtured by Nature is building a sloth breeding center to help prevent people from taking sloths from the wild.
- They are constantly creating innovative and sustainable conservation projects.
- Children learn about animals, their habitats and how human behavior affects the world.
What WE can do to help Nurtured by Nature:
- You can imagine that caring for these animals doesn’t come cheap. But, Nurtured by Nature’s innovative approach to conservation has lowered operating costs dramatically. Enclosures are up-cycled from scrap materials and close relationships with food suppliers have allowed them to operate at a fraction of the cost of most other wildlife centers. Still, Nurtured by Nature is dependent on donations and visitors to help fund this nonprofit organization so that they can continue to provide a home for these animals and offer free visits to those in need.
- If you find yourself in San Diego, be sure to plan a visit for an otter swim! 100% of profits go towards the care for the animals!
CALLING ALL GRANT WRITERS!
- Nurtured by Nature has BIG plans for the community, but they need our help. They have the education and experience to build and run a new community wildlife center for schools and the community to bring people closer to nature. With the amazing program they are already running from their personal property, I know that this center will be a valuable contribution to the community. While there are grants available to make this plan a reality, Nurtured by Nature needs a grant writer to apply for funding.
- If you (or someone you know) are a grant writer and are able to donate your services, it would make the dreams of this amazing organization a reality. Please contact me if you are able to help!
Special thanks for everyone at Nurtured by Nature for the unforgettable experience!
For more information, be sure to visit www.NurturedbyNature.org
Those are two cute otters! I’d be so tempted to stuff them in my backpack and run away…..Cuddles, however, would have scared the living daylights out of me. You weren’t worried those spikes would end up on you?!
Hahaha! It may or may not have crossed my mind as well 😉 Actually, Cuddles was super friendly! The spikes are SHARP tho. We were just careful not to scare him or walk behind him.
BABY OTTERS OMG!!! Dying from the cuteness! What a great cause to support and a unique way to get involved 🙂
I died. SO CUTE! Super awesome organization, right? Love what they’re doing!