Arkansas is home to two excellent wildlife refuges - Wapanocca National Wildlife Reserve in Turrell, Arkansas and Riddle's Elephant & Wildlife Sanctuary in Greenbrier provide excellent safe havens for the animals and a wealth of educational resources for Arkansans to study animal lives and behavior. Photographers are also lucky to get some beautiful shots of the wildlife that live on these gorgeous reserves.

20. Sheep at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge houses over 130 animals.

19. Peacock at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is located at 239 Turpentine Creek Lane in beautiful Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

18. Lion Closeup at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

All 459 acres of Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge are set aside specifically for abused, abandoned, and neglected big cats.

17. Lion at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is a USDA licensed refuge for Big Cats.

16. Tiger at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

Visitors are allowed to stay overnight in provided lodging at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge.

15. Blue winged teal at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

Wapanocca Refuge contains extensive virgin cypress swamp, mature bottomland hardwood forest, reforested uplands, and grasslands.

14. Mississippi kite in flight at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

Wapanocca NWR hosts wintering waterfowl, serves as a migratory stopover point for neotropical birds, and provides breeding habitat for forest songbirds.

13. Rusty blackbird at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

Recreational opportunities at Wapanocca refuge include wildlife observation, fishing, hunting, canoeing, photography, and environmental education.

12. Orange-crowned warbler at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

Wapanocca also features a refuge visitor center on the premises.

11. Bald eagles at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

Wapanocca offers refuge to various endangered animals, including bald eagles.

10. Pectoral Sandpiper at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

Wapanocca is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

9. Possum mom & babies at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

The refuge is located four miles west of the Mississippi River and protected from the river by the river levee. Prior to establishment of the refuge, it was the site of the Wapanocca Outing Club which was formed in 1886.

8. Otter at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

Wapanocca refuge literally stands as a wildlife oasis in an agricultural sea.

7. Tree frog at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

An excellent diversity of habitat has been set aside on this agricultural land, bottomland hardwood forest, early stage reforested hardwoods, open water, and flooded cypress/willow swamp.

6. Retired circus elephants at Riddles Elephant Sancturary

Riddle's is the only internationally recognized sanctuary that accepts any elephant regardless of species, gender, or disposition.

5. Resident elepant at Riddles Elephant Sanctuary

Riddles was established by Scott and Heidi Riddle in 1990 on 330 acres in the Ozark Mountain foothills in Arkansas as a non-profit home for any elephant that needs one for any reason.

4. Elephant walk at Riddles Elephant Sanctuary

Riddle's Elephant & Wildlife Sanctuary

is located on Arkansas 25 off U.S. 65 North

in Greenbrier, Arkansas.

3. Elephant family time at Riddles Elephant Sanctuary

Riddle's Elephant Sanctuary is open to the public the first Saturday of every month from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Donations are gratefully accepted.

2. Butterfly at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

Wapanocca NWR is located 20 miles northwest of Memphis, Tennessee, in Crittenden County, Arkansas.

1. Elephant closeup at Riddles Elephant Sanctuary

Many Arkansans are surprised to find out that there's an actual elephant sanctuary in the Natural State.

The Natural State is proud of its animals, animal sanctuaries, and the hard-working people who tend to the needs of our friends of other species! If you have any experiences with these sanctuaries, tell us all about them in the comments below.