MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — Tucked away just minutes from the white sands of Madeira Beach is a discovery center aimed at not just sharing exotic animals with visitors, but shaping young and old minds on how they can further conservation efforts. 

In this week’s Florida on a Tankful, Spectrum News takes you inside the Alligator Wildlife Discovery Center with one of the co-founders who shares her passion for all things animals. 

Growing up in Florida, Sonny Flynn said she knew one day she would take her love of animals and make it a career.

“I used to rescue dogs. I would find dogs that were pregnant and hide them under our house and I was only 5 or 6 years old,” Flynn said. 

In 2011, Flynn and her business partner, Travis Palladeno, purchased a small alligator attraction in Madeira Beach. Since then, the facility has expanded from 700 square feet to over 8,000. 

They also went from housing around 50 alligators to now housing over 250 exotic animals that cannot go back into the wild. 

“Over the 10 years, we’ve probably rescued about 1,000, and it’s just going to continue," Flynn said. "We are actually adding a new aspect. We are adding a new agricultural education center that will open up in Clearwater.” 

They hope to open the educational center later this year or early next year.

They’ll offer tours of the farm and an even larger facility to further their conservation efforts.

“This is very, very heartfelt for me. I couldn’t do this without my team," Flynn said. "Every single one of them has a passion for animals and animal science and the world we live in. The love for the animals is just incredible.” 

The Alligator Wildlife Discover Center is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. 

Check out more information on their website, https://kissagator.com.