ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 There’s a unique destination in Florida where visitors can sip coffee, cuddle capybaras, and contribute to wildlife conservation \u2014 all in one visit.<\/p>\n
Welcome to the Capybara Caf\u00e9<\/a>, an interactive animal experience operated by Noah\u2019s Ark Sanctuary, a nonprofit based in St. Augustine, Florida. Just 23 minutes from the sanctuary, the caf\u00e9 offers guests a chance to meet exotic animals like lemurs, skunks, and of course, capybaras\u2014the world\u2019s largest rodents known for their gentle nature and love of water.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to make sure these animals are enjoying the betterment of the sanctuary,\u201d said Trey King, General Manager of Capybara Caf\u00e9. \u201cCapybaras are semi-aquatic creatures, so we ensure they get plenty of pool time back at the sanctuary.\u201d<\/p>\n Animal visits to the caf\u00e9 are entirely voluntary. Carriers are placed at the sanctuary, and whichever animals choose to enter are transported to the caf\u00e9 for the day. This ensures the animals are comfortable and stress-free during their interactions with guests, according to WTLV. The caf\u00e9 features animals from USDA-approved vendors, as well as rescues and rehabilitated wildlife. Some are permanent residents, while others may eventually be released back into the wild.<\/p>\n Noah\u2019s Ark Sanctuary is currently expanding to a larger, more accessible location to further its mission. <\/p>\n See also: BODYCAM: Son of arrestee allegedly shatters ICE vehicle window with rock during operation<\/a><\/p>\n “Education about conservation is incredibly important,\u201d King emphasized. \u201cIt teaches us to protect what we love for future generations and helps us care for animals both in our facilities and in the wild.”<\/p>\n Visitors can support these efforts by donating online or visiting the Capybara Caf\u00e9. For an additional donation, guests can book 30-minute \u201cencounters\u201d with animals like a lemur, a double-banded skunk, or even a screaming hairy armadillo.<\/p>\n Whether you’re an animal lover or a conservation enthusiast, the Capybara Caf\u00e9 offers a heartwarming and educational experience that\u2019s as impactful as it is adorable.<\/p>\n Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter <\/a>to get the day’s top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel<\/a> for the biggest stories and can’t miss video.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 There’s a unique destination in Florida where visitors can sip coffee, cuddle capybaras,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21178,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[5391,16793,6527,16789,16792,28,30,29,16790,16791],"class_list":{"0":"post-21177","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-florida","8":"tag-animal-conservation","9":"tag-animal-encounters","10":"tag-animal-welfare","11":"tag-capybara-cafe","12":"tag-exotic-animals","13":"tag-florida","14":"tag-florida-headlines","15":"tag-florida-news","16":"tag-noahs-ark-sanctuary","17":"tag-wildlife-rescue"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21177","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21177"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21177\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21177"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}