Workshop on Coyote Biology

Coyotes are living in every county in Florida and are amazing for our eco system. This is an amazing workshop! You learn everything you need to know about co-exisiting safely with coyotes.

FREE

Contact Kevin Hogencamp for more information

(904) 247-5804

Catty Shack Saturday Night Feeding

Leave dogs at home ~!

During an evening visit at Catty Shack Ranch, you’ll be guided where to park by one of our volunteers. From your parking spot, you need only walk a short distance to our entrance to check in. If you purchased tickets online, we will check your name against our list. If not, no problem, you can pay when you arrive. Your visit will start with an introductory video that explains a little about us and our history. Then you will go on a guided walking tour with the opportunity to see our resident animals, which include tigers, lions, cougars, leopards, lynx, coatimundis, and foxes. Tours begin at 6:00 PM and leave approximately every 20 minutes. Tours last about 45 minutes and you are encouraged to ask questions of the guide as he or she tells you about the animals.

Following your tour, you can wander around and revisit the animals, head to our entrance area and get something to eat or drink from our concession stand, or sit and relax on any of our benches and watch the animals enjoy their evening. The last tour leaves at 7:00 PM and we close the entrance gate at 7:15 PM. At 7:30 PM you get to watch us feed the animals! You’ll watch as we hand out as much as 600 pounds of meat, but you will hear the excitement too. The smaller animals – lynx, foxes, and coatimundis – are fed earlier in the day and not part of the public night feeding. The facility is mostly packed dirt or grass, accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. Bring your camera and take as many pictures as you like!!

Vegan Party in the Garden – a Zen Anniversary

Please join us for a Vegan Garden Party in celebration of The Zen Butcher Company’s one year anniversary. This is a community style event suitable for the entire family.

Tim Armstrong, the owner of Eat Your Yard Jax has opened his farm for a day of vegan food, yoga, and plant based education.

Tim will start the day with a Walking Medicinal Plant tour. This tour will showcase the many varieties of North Florida Native plants, their medicinal qualities, and how to harvest their medicine at home.

Following the medicinal plant tour we will have Gentle Yoga in the Garden. This 75 minute gentle yoga session will be accessible to all levels and will focus on slow, mindful movements allowing you to dig deeper and ground yourself in nature. For those of you who want a little more energy in their practice we will also offer AcroYoga in the garden. Both class options will be suitable for beginners and experts.

Once you are done centering your bodies and minds all patrons will be seated for a Five Course Vegan Meal in the Garden, catered by The Zen Butcher Company. All dishes will be 100% Vegan featuring fresh, local ingredients. Gluten free options will be available. For gluten free requests please specify at the time of ticket purchase.

TICKET DETAILS:
•There will be two ticket options available for a Morning Session or an Afternoon Session.
•Tickets are limited to 40 attendees for each session.
•Tickets are non-refundable.
•In the event of rain or inclement weather this event will be rescheduled to a future date.
**ALLERGEN REQUESTS MUST BE PLACED AT TIME OF TICKET PURCHASE**

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Danielle D’Amato – Sea Turtles

Danielle D’Amato studied Marine biology at Jacksonville University. She is a Biologist at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a Marine Biologist at Amelia River Cruises & Charters, as well as a Wildlife Biologist and Director of Development and Outreach at The Ark Wildlife Care and Sanctuary.

Danielle D’Amato operates a Gopher Tortoise Rescue, “Sustaninable Care and Urgent Treatement for Every Shells (S.C.U.T.E.S). The goal of S.C.U.T.E.S. is to rehabilitate and release sick and injured Gopher Tortoises. S.C.U.T.E.S. operates under the umbrella of ARK Wildlife Rescue, and is licensed under the Florida Wildlife Commission. ​

Chris Hartmann – Venomous Snakes

Chris Hartmann, a former member at large of the Jacksonville Herpetological Society, has held a passion for herpetofauna his entire life. He graduated from Santa Fe College with a degree in zoology and from the University of FL with degrees in natural resource conservation and wildlife ecology and conservation so that he could further his knowledge and spread his passion for reptiles.

Chris interned at the Museum of Science and History and used his connections through the JHS to become employed as an assistant curator of Natural Science. He was in charge of the living collections and routinely performed at outreach events.

At the age of 18, he acquired a venomous reptile of concern permit. Over the years, Chris has kept many different species of snake both venomous and non-venomous and has maintained a superb safety record with no bites or escapes. He took his experience to a pet store (Hogtown Reptiles) that specialized in reptiles and amphibians. He ran the store for much of this time and gained experience caring for thousands of species.

Once Chris Graduated from the university of FL, he worked as a research assistant collecting data on tree frogs and other species native to the Ocala National Forest. He also spent 2 summers in the wilds of Belize in Central America first as a student abroad then as a teaching/ research assistant where he helped with studies on jaguars and Moreletts crocodiles.

Currently, Chris is a regional director and acting biologist at a nuisance wildlife control company. Although his collection of reptiles has been reduced due to his active life, he still maintains a colony of eyelash vipers and a Texas indigo snake. He enjoys searching for and photographing wild snakes any chance he gets as well.