Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife
Our Mission
Dedicated to Protection, Preservation and Education
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife is a volunteer organization whose purpose is to preserve and enhance the habitats of protected wildlife species and to educate the community about Cape Coral’s wildlife resources.
Founded in 2001, we now have approximately 500 members and an engaged group of volunteers, board of directors and committees operating our unique events and programs. | About Us
Volunteer hours in the last year
Actions Speak Louder than Words!
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife is a non-profit membership organization that relies on donations and fundraisers to help protect our wildlife in Cape Coral, Florida. All members are volunteers, with no paid positions.
Join/Renew Membership
Help support wildlife in Cape Coral by becoming a member, or renewing your existing membership.
Donate to CCFW
Make a tax deductible donation to support Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife and our mission to protect and educate.
Shop CCFW Merchandise
Get some unique apparel, wear your support for Cape Coral's wildlife and help further our mission by shopping CCFW merchandise.
Adopt an Owl
Adopt a Cape Coral Burrowing Owl to help fund burrow maintenance activities and other programs.
What’s at Stake
The Florida burrowing owl and gopher tortoise are designated a threatened species by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The designation of Threatened is given to species whose prospects of survival are in jeopardy—in this case due largely to habitat loss.
Research has shown that gopher tortoise populations in Cape Coral represent a self-sustaining viable conservation unit that call for preservation of the natural and vacant lands they currently occupy.
The gopher tortoise is considered a “keystone species” with more than 350 other species using their burrows for shelter. If the tortoise burrows disappear, the ecosystem of wildlife that relies on them, will collapse.
Make a Difference
Join the Burrow Maintenance Crew
Here is an important way to help working directly with wildlife. Supplied with City maps, weed wackers, safety equipment, and lots of enthusiasm this group of dedicated volunteers trim burrow with high weeds, install PVC pipes and perches on newly found burrows, repair and clean up existing burrows. They also have obtained GPS coordinates for every known burrow and submitted this information to the City of Cape Coral to be put in the City data base.
Dig a Starter Burrow
As Cape Coral grows, there will be less and less empty lots for the Burrowing Owls to call home, and loss of habitat is a primary reason why Burrowing Owl populations decline. Fortunately there is a solution to habitat loss that is working quite well. Homeowners are being encouraged to put "starter" burrows on their front lawns.
Visit the Butterfly House
The Tom Allen Memorial Butterfly House is one of Cape Coral's top attractions and a labor of love for many CCFW volunteers.
Request a Speaker
CCFW volunteers are available to speak to students and civic associations about protecting Cape Coral's wildlife and habitats.
In the News
Looking for a last-minute gift? Adopt a burrowing owl for the holidays
Looking to fill your favorite animal lover’s stocking this year? The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife is hoping the public will adopt a burrowing owl this holiday season to help ensure the future home of Cape Coral’s official bird in a rapidly developing city.
See what Cape Coral builders discovered underground that paused part of a construction project
In the busy area of downtown Cape Coral, construction workers off Cape Coral Parkway near the Bimini Basin had to pause part of their construction site because of a burrowing owl egg.
Cape Coral residents urged to protect owls by building man-made burrows
NBC-2 learns from Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife volunteers how we can protect burrowing owls as Cape Coral’s development booms and infill lots are cleared for houses: Dig a Starter Burrow
Volunteer of the Month – December 2023
Trudy Withey Trudy is a quiet force who really gets people to support us through sponsorships and donations. Last year she was able to get more than $500 worth of gift certificates from Grimaldis in Ft Myers! Trudy is a DAR and member of the Lawrence Kearney Chapter...
Fundraiser with Forever Tattoo helps trust purchase lot for preservation
The popular ink spot offered flash tattoos at a discounted rate for wildlife, and 100% of the tattoo cost was donated by the artists to CCWT.
An Evening with Guest Speaker Robert N. Macomber
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife was proud to host a special event with local author and historian Robert N. Macomber at Rotary Park on the evening of December 6, 2023.
Volunteer of the Month – November 2023
Jenn Moss Jenn steps up and helps everywhere. She does starter burrows, burrow maintenance, talks with so many people about us via outreach at schools and our Proud landlord signs. Jenn helps get donations for our auction and has increased our reach on social media...
Buried alive? Gopher tortoise burrows collapsed in Lehigh Acres; major work halted 30 days
The destruction of a once-thriving gopher tortoise community in Lehigh Acres last week typifies what’s happening to the threatened species throughout Southwest Florida, advocates say.
Photos of Florida’s Fight to Protect Threatened Burrowing Owls
Cape Coral, Florida, a city experiencing unprecedented growth. While great for their economy, the economic boom is disastrous for wildlife, especially species that thrive in open, treeless areas. In particular, the burrowing owl population is suffering as its habitat shrinks.
Volunteer of the Month – October 2023
Dorothy Browning Our October Volunteer of the Month is a highly dedicated and respected person instilled with patience and cheerfulness, offering her help when needed. Not only does our volunteer answer our website emails, she also does burrow maintenance, GPS, helps...
Cape Coral residents protest proposed Redfish Pointe development of homes, shops, hotel
As rain hit Rotary Park on Wednesday morning, around 100 Cape Coral residents came and marched, armed with wet signs with many saying they were there to “stop a future crime.”
Volunteer of the Month – September 2023
Jim Collier