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For the past four years, Pascal Robin has filled a critical need as the Executive Director of Navarre, Florida’s Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, and every day reminds her of why the refuge is so important. We talked with her about why a visit to the refuge is a don’t-miss experience if you’re spending time in Navarre Beach.
Everything we do at the refuge falls under three core pillars: education, conservation, and rehabilitation. Our mission has always been, and will always be, to take in any animal that is sick, injured, or orphaned. We rehab them and release them back out into the ecosystem.
We want to educate the public on the myths and misunderstandings around Florida’s native animals. We’re also very focused on marine mammal strandings. Our team goes out on rapid response calls whenever an animal, living or deceased, washes up on our beaches. But really, our main goal is rehabilitation. We are dedicated to giving injured or orphaned wildlife the care and skills they need to recover and return to their natural habitats.
When visitors arrive at the refuge, they start their tour by walking through our education center where they’ll see tons of biofacts and educational tools designed to teach people how to humanely share their spaces with local wildlife.
Even people who aren’t from this area will encounter these animals on trails, in the bays, and along the beaches, so understanding how to live alongside them is important.
From there, guests can head outside to meet our ambassador animals, permanent residents that can never be released into the wild. These animals have either become so attached to us humans like parents that they no longer know how to recognize survival threats, or they’re disabled.
We currently care for 14 ambassador animals, and while I love every one of them, a few always find their way into my conversations because of the education they offer.
Our snakes, Butch and Dwight, are favorites for exactly that reason. Snakes are deeply misunderstood, and letting visitors interact with them helps ease any fears that they’re dangerous. I also love showing off Rosa the raccoon, who was raised as a pet before coming to us. Raccoons are irresistibly cute as babies, but they grow into animals that are destructive and simply aren’t meant to be kept as pets, which is exactly the lesson we hope people take home with them.
My advice is simple: go beyond the beaches. Find something off the beaten path, somewhere quiet and serene, and come see for yourself what that difference feels like.
The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge is perfect for everyone of all ages. Educators bring school groups for field trips, lifelong learners come to expand their knowledge, and nature enthusiasts often settle into our gardens to journal or sketch. A visit here is a slow walk through nature, a chance to connect with our ambassador animals and the ecosystem.
Every dollar from admission goes directly back into the refuge’s mission of rescuing and rehabilitating animals in need. We receive no federal, state, or local funding, which means we rely entirely on donations, grants, community support, and volunteers to keep our work going. In other words, your small entrance fee goes directly to the animals.
The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for military members and senior citizens, and $6 for children over three; children under two visit free. Private tours and events are available.
Take a look at how vacationers and locals are enjoying Navarre Beach and the surrounding areas.
