JUPITER — Just a hop, skip and a jump from Lake Okeechobee is Busch’s Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter.

The sanctuary is a non-profit, started in 1983 for the purpose of caring for sick, injured or orphaned animals. They foster these animals in a caring environment.

According to the website, the original sanctuary entered a collaboration with the Peter W. Busch Family Foundation in 1994, and in 2020, they were able to purchase 19.4 acres of land where they could expand their campus and facilities. In 2023, the new sanctuary was unveiled.

Although caring for these animals is the number one priority of the sanctuary, they also work to educate children and families about native plants and animals.

Approximately “90% of the almost 6,000 patients admitted each year to the Sanctuary’s wildlife rehabilitation center have suffered from some type of human-related injury. Collisions with automobiles, fishing line entanglement, illegal gunshots, poisonings, and electrocutions, are only a small example of the types of injuries that are regularly treated and why education of the public is so important,” states the website.

Each day, the sanctuary offers a variety of programs for the family ranging from Wonderful Waterbirds on Mondays to Sly Foxes on Tuesdays and Tiny Tales Storytime on Wednesday. There are special offerings throughout each and every day the sanctuary is open.

The sanctuary is open for special gatherings such as birthday parties and soon will allow weddings and rehearsal dinners.

Groups are welcome at the sanctuary but encouraged to make reservations in advance.

The sanctuary is located at 17855 Rocky Pines Road in Jupiter. They can be reached by telephone at 561-575-3399 or online at https://www.buschwildlife.org/. They are open, rain or shine, seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The only exceptions are on New Years Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. There is no admission fee, but donations are greatly appreciated as this is how they feed and care for the animals.