Palm Harbor Primates Get ‘Strange Inheritance’ Spotlight

PALM HARBOR, FL — Fox Business Network’s “Strange Inheritance” is talking a walk on the wild side Monday as host Jamie Colby tells the story of the unusual legacy Debbie Cobb’s grandmother left behind.

Cobb, along with her mother and uncle, inherited the 12-acre Suncoast Primate Sanctuary back in 2000 when Debbie's grandmother, Anna Mae Noell, passed away. Even though the property the primate sanctuary sits upon is worth millions, Debbie spends her days taking care of more than 100 animals with assistance from volunteers and others dedicated to the nonprofit's cause.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Cobb told Patch of her labor of love.

Animals have been on the 4600 Alternative 19 property since 1948. Selling the land would have meant saying goodbye to the creatures that call the place home, Cobb said. That was just something she wasn't willing to do.

“I’ve grown up with them,” she explained.

Cobb’s now raising her twin daughters, Brandy and Breanna, to have the same love and respect for animals her grandparents, Anna and Robert Noell taught her, she said.

“I have always believed that one person can make a difference,” she said.

It’s that level of passion that made Cobb’s story so interesting, Colby told Patch.

“Her commitment is unwavering,” she said. “She is going to do this until she can’t do it anymore.”

Colby said a viewer tipped her off about Cobb’s “strange inheritance.” The story was so unusual, going beyond just one generation, that she couldn’t help but want to look into it. That brought her and her film crew to Palm Harbor where she met with Cobb and toured the sanctuary that's been a Palm Harbor fixture for decades.

“Today is International Women’s Day,” Colby said on Wednesday. “(Cobb has) generations (of women) in her family who came together to do something bigger than themselves. They sacrifice a lot.”

The sanctuary is home to about 138 animals, including primates, birds, alligators and more, Cobb said. Among its residents are a few celebrities, including Pongo, an orangutan who is beloved across the Tampa Bay area and beyond. Pongo just turned 21 and got to celebrate with his people friends at the sanctuary.

As a nonprofit organization, the sanctuary depends on volunteers, online donations and gate donations to provide care for its animals. To find out more about visiting or getting involved, visit the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary online.

To watch Cobb’s story, “Gorillas in Their Midst,” on television, tune into Fox Business Network on Monday, March 13 at 9:30 p.m.

For more information about the show, visit its website. To suggest a "Strange Inheritance" tip to Colby, email

jamie@strangeintheritance.com.

Photo courtesy of Fox Business Network