Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge

What Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge does

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge (ECWR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating from a single campus in Navarre, Florida, dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured, orphaned, and sick native Florida wildlife alongside public environmental education. Founded in 1993, ECWR operates a Medical Center that provides care to approximately 1,500-2,000 wildlife patients annually, with the goal of releasing them back into the wild. The organization also runs a Marine Mammal Stranding Team that is on call 365 days per year, responding to more than 20 stranded dolphins, whales, and sea turtles across Santa Rosa, Escambia, Okaloosa, and Walton counties, coordinated with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

The business model is built on a diversified mix of revenue streams with no federal, state, or county funding. ECWR generates income through one-time and recurring monetary donations, a six-tier monthly membership program ($15-$100/month), Education Center admissions ($6-$8 per visitor), gift shop sales, the Buy a Brick memorial program ($75-$150 per brick), event fees (Plant Bingo, Clays for Conservation, summer camps), corporate sponsorships (Walmart, KFC, SEA Initiative), and grants from organizations including IMPACT 100 chapters and the Santa Rosa Tourist Development Office. Distribution occurs through walk-in admissions, scheduled field trips, private events, summer camp registration, community outreach, and digital channels including website, email newsletter (The Pelican Post), and social media platforms.

ECWR serves a horizontal mix of customer segments: the general Gulf Coast community, tourists, school groups, interns (15-week Animal Care and 12-16 week Education Team programs), volunteers (age 16+), and corporate/community groups seeking volunteer or sponsorship opportunities. The organization has 11-50 employees, a leadership team headed by Executive Director Pascal, and a small staff including a Director of Animal Care, Donor & Grants Director, and Marine Mammal Stranding Technician. Key strategic partnerships include the University of West Florida (UWF Marine Biology student pipeline for stranding response) and FWC (after-hours hotline coordination). The 2019 Navarre campus serves as the consolidated hub for all medical, educational, and visitor-facing operations.

Name

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge

Legal name

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge

Website

https://emeraldcoastwildliferefuge.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Navarre, Florida, that rehabilitates approximately 1,500-2,000 injured native wildlife annually, operates a 365-day Marine Mammal Stranding Team across four coastal counties, and runs public environmental education programs funded entirely by donations, memberships, grants, and earned revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release Centers (Public Viewing/Education) (THAAAFAC)

Keywords

• Wildlife rehabilitation services
• Marine mammal stranding response
• Environmental education programs
• Wildlife conservation nonprofit
• Youth wildlife summer camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Walton Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Monetary Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals, community members, businesses, and tourists. Donations can be made through website, PayPal, or mail. Tax-deductible as 501(c)(3) organization.
2. Monthly Membership Programs: Six-tier monthly membership program ranging from $15/month (Song Bird Saver) to $100/month (Great Horned Owl) with benefits including annual passes, gift shop discounts, and event passes.
3. Education Center Admissions: Admission fees to visit Education Center: Adults $8, Military & Seniors (55+) $7, Children 3-17 $6, Under 2 free. Plus tax.
4. Gift Shop Sales: Retail sales at the Education Center offering merchandise and educational items.
5. Buy A Brick Program: Memorial/dedication bricks placed on pathway connecting education and medical center. 4x8in bricks $75, 8x8in bricks $150.
6. Event Fees and Fundraising: Fees from events like Clays for Conservation, Plant Bingo, summer camps, and community work days.
7. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorships for events, exhibits, or enclosures from local businesses and organizations.
8. Grants: Funding from organizations including Santa Rosa Tourist Development Office, IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area, IMPACT 100 Northwest Florida, and others for specific projects like habitat construction and building development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers wildlife rescue, medical rehabilitation, and release services for injured, sick, and orphaned native Florida species, operating a Medical Center that serves approximately 1,500–2,000 patients annually and a Marine Mammal Stranding Team on call 365 days per year across four coastal counties. Complementing rehabilitation, the organization runs a public Education Center, summer camps, internships, private events, and donation/membership programs to fund its conservation mission.

Product overview

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing a comprehensive suite of wildlife conservation services centered on three pillars: rehabilitation, education, and conservation. The core offerings include wildlife rehabilitation for injured/orphaned native Florida species (approximately 1,500 patients annually), public education through their Education Center, and a Marine Mammal Stranding Program responding to marine wildlife along the Emerald Coast. The organization extends its reach through structured internship programs (Animal Care and Education Team tracks), youth programming (summer camps for ages 4-7 and older), and private event services. Revenue generation relies heavily on monthly membership tiers (Song Bird Saver through Great Horned Owl at $15-$100/month) and one-time donation programs including the Buy a Brick campaign and Run the Refuge Day sponsorship. All programs operate from the Navarre, FL campus built in 2019, which houses both the Medical Center and Education Center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wildlife Rehabilitation Services Medical care and rehabilitation for injured or orphaned native Florida wildlife with the goal of releasing patients back to the wild. ECWR provides care to approximately 1,500–2,000 wildlife patients annually. Daily drop-off for injured wildlife is available at the Navarre campus gate from 8am–4pm.
• Education Center Public education center open Wednesday-Saturday 9am-3pm and Sunday 11am-3pm, offering visitors the opportunity to see animal ambassadors and learn about species, rehabilitation efforts, and the Marine Mammal Stranding Team. Admissions: Adults $8, Military & Seniors (55+) $7, Children 3-17 $6, Under 2 free.
• Marine Mammal Stranding Program

Quantifiable outcome

• ~2,000 wildlife patients rehabilitated annually with goal of wild release
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState wildlife agency providing hotline support (888-404-FWCC) for emergency after-hours assistance with injured wildlife. ECWR coordinates with FWC for wildlife rehabilitation and stranding response.
• University of West FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine Mammal Stranding Team requires applicants to be UWF Marine Biology students (undergraduate or graduate), creating educational pathway partnership.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5-8vEYcCWdyZYNnX7QaLZg
• Facebookfacebook.com/emeraldcoastwildliferefuge
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecwildliferefuge/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@wildliferefuge
• Xx.com/ecwr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emerald-coast-wildlife-refuge

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge