Hidden away in Oroville lies this wonderful Northern California animal sanctuary that remains unknown to many. The Barry R Kirshner Wildlife Sanctuary is a remarkable haven, sheltering an array of wild animals from across the globe. The sanctuary is home to tigers, leopards, bears, lions, bobcats, lemurs, macaws, and more!

Located south of Chico in Butte County, the sanctuary is entirely non-profit. Founded in 1994, the sanctuary’s mission is to provide care and nurturing to the animals who live there.

Beyond its caregiving role, the sanctuary works to educate the public and inspire people to preserve wildlife.

At the sanctuary, every effort is made to ensure the comfort and happiness of the animals.

Some of the animals are rescued from the wild and others come from captivity. All of the animals that the public can visit are non-releasable, underscoring the sanctuary’s role to be a safe haven and lifelong home to these animals.

The sanctuary is completely volunteer run and accepts donations.

If you have an idea to help the sanctuary, they’d like to hear from you! Maybe you want to sponsor an animal, bring your classroom for a visit, or participate in an outreach program.

To raise money the sanctuary also is available for

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The sanctuary operates a program focused on rehabilitating wild animals. With the aim of returning these rescued animals to their natural habitats, they are provided with specialized care and attention.

As part of this process, however, it is crucial to keep these animals away from public view and minimize their exposure to human interaction. This approach ensures that they retain their wild instincts and behaviors, maximizing their chances of successful reintegration into the wild.

Something that makes this sanctuary different from others is they take animals with special needs. Many of the animals need constant monitoring due to various medical conditions, injuries, and impairments.

The sanctuary estimates that 75% of their animals would not be alive without the dedicated care from staff, and of course, generation donations.

Visiting hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Tours are available by appointment only.

Whether you decide to visit or make a donation, you're joining a community of animal lovers who share a common goal: protecting and preserving our planet's precious wildlife. So, why wait? Take a trip to this beautiful Oroville sanctuary or make a donation to support wildlife conservation efforts in Northern California.