Carolina Tiger Rescue

What Carolina Tiger Rescue does

Carolina Tiger Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife sanctuary headquartered in Pittsboro, North Carolina, operating on a single site at 1940 Hanks Chapel Rd. The organization rescues and permanently houses approximately 50 wild animals across 13 species — including tigers, lions, cougars, servals, caracals, bobcats, kinkajous, raccoons, coatimundis, porcupines, red wolves, Asian leopard cats, and red foxes — sourced from private owners, roadside zoos, traveling circuses, and other facilities through abandonment, relinquishment, or confiscation. It is a member of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance, and joined the Red Wolf SAFE Program in April 2022 as the 50th facility to support endangered red wolf recovery.

The organization operates three functional pillars: rescue, education, and advocacy. Educational offerings include public tours, twilight tours (adults 18+, $32 plus taxes and fees, April–October), tiger tales tours for children 2–9, private tours, special experiences such as Feeding with a Keeper, summer camps, homeschool programs, field trips, virtual tours, and an animal husbandry internship. Distribution is direct-to-consumer: tickets are sold in advance through the website, the Savanna Station gift shop operates on-site and online, and donations are processed via the Funraise platform with one-time, recurring, symbolic adoption, estate gift, stock, and IRA giving options. The annual Black Tie & Tails Ball functions as the flagship fundraiser.

The revenue model is structurally hybrid: earned revenue from tours and gift shop covers operating overhead (the organization states 100% of donations go to programs), while contributed revenue from individual donors, workplace giving, corporate matching, and planned giving covers the program and animal-care mission. The website and social channels (Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest) serve as the primary marketing surface, supplemented by a quarterly Paw Print newsletter, community booths, and press relations. There is no app, no API, and no proprietary software product; the underlying technology is operational animal-care, educational programming, and standard nonprofit fundraising infrastructure. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Kris Marino, supported by a 22-person staff including a DVM-credentialed veterinarian with 16+ years of tenure.

Name

Carolina Tiger Rescue

Legal name

Carolina Tiger Rescue

Website

https://carolinatigerrescue.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Carolina Tiger Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife sanctuary in Pittsboro, NC, housing ~50 wild cats across 13 species and delivering guided tours, camps, and conservation education to the general public, families, and school groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Sanctuary and Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Sanctuaries & Long-Term Care (Farm, Equine, Exotic) (BPAGAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rescue, Transport & Emergency Animal Response (BPAGAIAB), Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Wildlife sanctuary services
• Animal rescue education
• Conservation nonprofit
• Guided wildlife tours
• Wild cat conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tour Admissions: Revenue from selling tickets for various tour experiences including public tours, twilight tours, private tours, and tiger tales tours. Tours are the only way visitors can see the animals.
2. Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters. The organization emphasizes that 100% of donations support rescue and education programs.
3. Gift Shop: Merchandise sales through the Savanna Station gift shop offering Carolina Tiger Rescue branded items.
4. Symbolic Adoption: Adoption program allowing supporters to form a lifelong relationship with a wild cat through symbolic adoption.
5. Estate Gifts: Planned giving through estate gifts to ensure long-term financial security for animal care.
6. Big Cat Dinner Club: Program allowing supporters to contribute toward feeding the cats for a day, week, or month.
7. Corporate Matching/Workplace Giving: Volunteer grants and workplace matching gift programs where employers donate based on employee volunteer hours.
8. Stock and IRA Donations: Securities donations as tax-efficient ways to support the animals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Carolina Tiger Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife sanctuary that rescues wild cats from private owners, roadside zoos, and circuses and provides lifelong care for approximately 50 resident animals across 13 species. Its core offerings include guided on-site tours (Public, Twilight, Tiger Tales, Private), educational programs (camps, homeschool, field trips, internships), and donor/symbolic adoption programs, all funding its rescue, education, and advocacy mission.

Product overview

Carolina Tiger Rescue operates as a wildlife sanctuary offering a portfolio of educational and visitor programs centered on wild cat conservation. The core offerings include guided tour experiences (Public Tours, Twilight Tours, Tiger Tales Tours, and Private Tours) and special experiences like Feeding with a Keeper. Educational programs encompass Kid Camps, High School Summer Camp, Middle School Homeschool Program, Field Trips to Go, Virtual Tours, Kid for a Day Adult Camp, and Animal Husbandry Internships. The organization also operates a Gift Shop, symbolic animal adoption program, Big Cat Dinner Club recurring giving, and annual Black Tie & Tails Ball fundraiser. Wild Cat Chronicles and the Keeper Stripes kids blog provide ongoing educational content. All programs support the mission of saving and protecting wild cats in captivity and in the wild through rescue, education, and advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Tours Guided tours of the sanctuary for adults and families, providing educational experiences about wild cats and their rescue stories.
• Twilight Tours Evening tours running April through October for adults (18+), offering an intimate, limited-capacity experience with the sanctuary to themselves.
• Tiger Tales Tours Shorter tours designed for children ages 2-7, featuring story time, animal-themed crafts, and cat encounters.
• Private Tours Exclusive tours booked approximately 3 months in advance for private groups seeking personalized sanctuary experiences.
• Feeding with a Keeper Special experience where visitors learn what the sanctuary feeds its animals and how keepers maintain animal health.
• Kid Camps Week-long summer camp programs where campers visit animals daily and learn about carnivores' essential role in natural habitats.
• High School Summer Camp 3-day project-based summer camp for high school students with hands-on learning experiences at the sanctuary.
• Middle School Homeschool Program STEM-based 4-week homeschool program designed specifically for middle school students.
• Field Trips to Go Mobile education presentations that bring sanctuary learning experiences to schools and communities.
• Virtual Tours Remote tour and field trip experiences for those unable to visit the physical sanctuary location.
• Kid for a Day Adult Camp One-day adult camp experience allowing participants to learn and experience big cat sanctuary operations.
• Animal Husbandry Internship Internship program for students and pre-professionals to learn husbandry practices for wild cats.
• Savanna Station Gift Shop On-site and online gift shop selling Carolina Tiger Rescue merchandise and swag to support the sanctuary.
• Symbolic Animal Adoption Symbolic adoption program allowing donors to support Carolina Tiger Rescue and form lifelong relationships with rescued wild cats.
• Big Cat Dinner Club Recurring donation program allowing supporters to fund the feeding costs of cats for a day, week, or month.
• Black Tie & Tails Ball Annual formal fundraising event serving as the rescue's largest annual fundraiser.

Quantifiable outcome

• Since all management costs are funded through earned revenue, 100% of donations go toward programs.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Big Spoon RoasterscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Partnership driven by shared commitment to wildlife conservation and sustainability. Collaboration aims to protect wild cats, preserve endangered species, and safeguard natural habitats through their business practices.
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Red Wolf SAFE Program)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Carolina Tiger Rescue became the 50th facility to join the Red Wolf SAFE Program in April 2022. The program is dedicated to saving the endangered red wolf from extinction. CTR hosts Caroline and Mist, two young female red wolves, until they reach appropriate breeding age.
• Global Federation of Animal SanctuariescoreOthersAccreditation body for animal sanctuaries. Carolina Tiger Rescue is a member working alongside other sanctuaries for advocacy and industry best practices.
• Big Cat Sanctuary AlliancecoreOthersAlliance of reputable big cat sanctuaries working together to advocate for passage of protective legislation including the Big Cat Public Safety Act.
• EarthShare North CarolinaminorOthersWorkplace giving program allowing employees to donate to Carolina Tiger Rescue through workplace giving campaigns.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Big Cat Rescue: Tampa, FL-based nonprofit wild cat sanctuary offering tours, educational programming, and advocacy. Direct peer in species focus (big cats), tour-based earned revenue, and federal legislative advocacy including active role in the Big Cat Public Safety Act.
• In-Sync Exotics: Texas-based nonprofit big cat and exotic animal rescue offering public tours and education. Comparable as a smaller-scale big cat sanctuary with similar tour revenue and volunteer/donor dependency.
• Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge: Arkansas-based nonprofit big cat sanctuary with public tours, overnight lodging, and educational programs. Comparable in scale, species mix (tigers, lions, cougars), and tour-driven revenue model.
• The Wildcat Sanctuary: Minnesota-based nonprofit big cat and wild cat sanctuary operating rescue, education, and conservation programs with similar tour, membership, and donation revenue model. Directly comparable in mission, species scope, and 501(c)(3) sanctuary structure.
• Lions Tigers & Bears: California-based nonprofit big cat and bear rescue sanctuary with tour, education, and advocacy programs. Directly comparable mission, accreditation profile, and tour-based visitation model.

Regional players

• Tiger World: Rockwell, NC-based nonprofit big cat sanctuary operating in the same U.S. Southeast region as Carolina Tiger Rescue. Direct service area overlap and similar species focus, though positioned more as an interactive educational attraction.

Broad incumbents

• International Fund for Animal Welfare: Large global animal welfare nonprofit operating across conservation, rescue, and advocacy. Relevant broader incumbent in wildlife protection that interacts with policy, donor mindshare, and species conservation frameworks overlapping with sanctuary work.

Others

• Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries: Industry accreditation body that sets operational and ethical standards for legitimate animal sanctuaries. Carolina Tiger Rescue is an accredited member; relevant as ecosystem validator and standard-setter.
• Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance: Alliance of accredited big cat sanctuaries coordinating advocacy and best practices, including the Big Cat Public Safety Act. Industry alliance peer relevant for advocacy alignment and peer benchmarking.
• Red Wolf SAFE Program: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service program coordinating red wolf recovery across participating facilities. Carolina Tiger Rescue is the 50th participating facility; relevant as a strategic federal conservation partner.

Market position

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nctigerrescue
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@carolinatigerrescue
• Facebookfacebook.com/CarolinaTigerRescue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carolina-tiger-rescue
• Instagraminstagram.com/carolina_tiger_rescue
• Pinterestpinterest.com/carolinatigerrescue

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Carolina Tiger Rescue