Zovargo is such an amazing organization with people who genuinely care about educating kids and encouraging conservation during their programs. There are so many different and exciting animals at their zoo to learn about and meet up close and personal. Highly recommend booking an event with them because animals truly make everything so much better and they bring a unique experience! read more

Zovargo - Educational Services Near Me

Amazing experience with Zovargo for my daughter's birthday this past weekend! Communication for booking and pre-event confirmation was amazing and the staff was great with the kids, and put on a great program for our event. We booked the larger party option for 16-35 kids and when the date was approaching and we thought we may end up with a few more than expected, they were flexible and communicative about our options. Come game time, it turned out we didn't exceed the limit so the team remained flexible and delivered the original plan with ease. Set up and break down was insanely fast. They kept the birthday girl completely engaged and loving every minute of the program. They made her feel like the star of the show while keeping her guests engaged as well. When some kids got a little squirrely, they were gracious and patient and kept the program rolling. We throughly enjoyed the fun, different element that Zovargo brought to our party. We highly recommend! read more

Zovargo - 16-35 kid, 1hr program - Educational Services Near Me

Amanda, Larry, and Heather were engaging educators who brought so much fun to our son's bug themed birthday party. What I really appreciated the most about Zovargo was their skill and patience in educating a group of 14 little kids between the ages of 1-6. The parents expressed to me how much they learned during their program. Do not hesitate to contact them for an enjoyable animal encounter! read more

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We hired Zovargo for my daughter's 9th birthday party. All the staff were friendly and great with keeping the kids engaged. The animals were unique and each had an introduction with interesting facts and fun props. They were on the pricy side, when compared to other similar businesses but I felt we got out money's worth. Thanks to Amanda and team for making my daughter's party special! read more

My 5 year old had the best birthday party ever thanks to Zovargo! My daughter loves animals and bugs so when I saw this party I knew I had to do it for her. I've seen their presentations at the libraries and they always are so great with the kids. They exceeded my expectations for the party, they kept the kids engaged for the entire hour with fun games, jokes, and other things. The parents were so impressed as well and couldn't believe how affordable it was. If you have a kid that loves animals or bugs I HIGHLY suggest using Zovargo, they're all about it conservation and not just a petting zoo trying to exploit animals for money. read more

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This was such a wonderful birthday party for my now 10 year old. It was educational and entertaining. They have an entire skit around each animal that keeps the kids completely engaged and interested. My daughter got all the animals she requested. The owner Amanda and her associates are so incredibly nice and communicative and seem to really love what they do and the animals they bring read more

I had the opportunity to see the Zovargo organization at one of my nieces Girl Scout events. They had 5 different animals that they brought with them and incorporated how each animal played a factor in our environment. This was amazing to see and they also showed the girls how to make birds nests and the importance of keeping our environment clean! Their energy throughout this THREE HOUR program was amazing! They engaged the girls in a make believe journeys that kept all of our girl scouts involved, happy, and eager to keep going! What a great job done ! Thank you Zovargo ! read more

What an amazing zoo. So many cool animals to see and very knowledgeable employees to guide you. We had a great time. One piece of advice if you go. The terrain is very hilly and there is alot of walking involved so wear some comfy walking shoes. We did over 20,000 steps while there. read more

Zovargo - Is it a zebra or a giraffe? No one knows. - Educational Services Near Me

This company was an absolute pleasure to work with. They are VERY organized and detail oriented... they were in constant communication every step of the way. They showed up on time and did a wonderful job entertaining the kids. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone looking to add something fun to a party... not to mention it gave the parents a nice little break from the kids. I initially selected them over the other companies that offered similar animal encounters because they were so good about PROMPTLY returning calls, emails etc. Their selection of animals is wonderful too! read more

Zovargo - Educational Services Near Me

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Zovargo has been an amazing example of how today's actions can change the future for so many. The programs are well thought out and very informative while still being fun. From the Girl Scout interactions to Birthday parties they have yet to disappoint me. I love that they are consistently looking for feedback to keep things current. I've been blessed to watch their programming grow and blossom even through the pandemic. It's a great way to get up close and personal interactions with so many different species of animals and even helped conquer some fears. read more

Zovargo - CEO & Co founder Amanda Plante with an intern with one of the animal ambassadors during a program. - Educational Services Near Me

I had the opportunity to collaborate with Amanda and her creative team at Zovargo on a video project, and was very impressed with their professionalism and lively programing for kids, families, and groups of all ages. If you are looking for a fun and educational experience, I highly recommend Zovargo! read more

Zovargo - Zovargo San Diego Educational Programs - Educational Services Near Me

I was an intern for zovargo for a year ann half, and I'm here to share some experiences. The founders invest a lot of time on each interns, and they truly cares about our personal growth as an educator. I am fortunate enough to be part of the Zovargo family, and become an educator who plants the seed of animal conservation in all individuals. I am thankful to be part of this organization that this is truly a remarkable experience in animal conservation. I also learn so much about bird and reptile care as i'm more familiar with mammals. For anyone who would like a head start in animal conservation field, this is a great place to begin. Below is a picture from our most recent huddle in a fox sanctuary in San Diego! read more

My family and I visited your exhibition stand today at the 2019 Expo Day at Petco Park. Our seven year old son loves snakes and was petting the boa constrictor along with other children. After a few minutes, he stopped petting it and moved on to see the millipedes and other things when the boa constrictor bit him in the back of his head. Several people saw it happen including my husband. I was on the other side of the stand with our daughter. When I saw our son's face (very scared and watery eyes), I asked what had happened. He explained he was bitten and I checked the back of his head. He had bloody spots and it was clear that he was bitten. I went directly to tell one of the staff members at the stand what had happened and I asked for alcohol for the wound. She told me to wait for a moment and went to tell Amanda who came over to the lady next to me giving her hand sanitizer and telling her no one got bitten. I told her I was the one asking for alcohol and explained my son had gotten bitten and when she said again that no one had gotten bitten, I offered to show her. She came over and saw Alexander's head. She started explaining the boa had just been part of a show and how in 20 years, nothing like this had happened and how the boa grew up with kids. She then said she was very sorry this happened and that was it. I took some of the hand sanitizer and used it for the wound. I asked my husband to go back and ask if there was any risk of infection or anything we needed to know. A boa bite is not something we deal with on a regular basis. They told him there was nothing to worry about. This situation was very poorly dealt with by the staff. How about showing some support for the family? How about showing us where first aid care is or provide us with something else then hand sanitizer? Shouldn't you be prepared for something like this to happen and provide support? I was baffled by the lack of support and nonchalant attitude. While all of this was happening and even when we left, the boa was still on Larry's arms interacting with people. Scary. We were actually considering hiring Zovargo for our son's birthday. Forget it. We left the stand in shock and were trying to make our son feel better while we searched for the first aid care station, googled boa constrictor bites and called our son's pediatrician for assistance. It was the scariest moment in our son's life and it wasn't handled properly by the staff. We are hoping there are no medical consequences. read more

Zovargo - Educational Services Near Me

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As an intern of 9 months, Zovargo has given me an opportunity to grow toward my passion as well as shape me into a more well-rounded person. Serving my community, communities around the country, and even past (with the power of the internet) that has been such an empowering experience. Having the opportunity to educate hundreds of people about animal conservation in such a short time frame has truly been one of the most rewarding things in my life thus far. Thank you Zovargo for giving your intern educators an opportunity to grow and share their love for animals and humans alike, all the while having an opportunity to grow as an educator!!! read more

Great experience! Zovargo was our special guest at my daughter's 6th birthday party. They were flexible with our location change, on time and so good with the kids. Everyone had a fun time learning about the animals. read more

I was an intern at Zovargo for six months and it was one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of my life. Every Zovargo presentation is lively, interactive, fun, and educational. I loved being a part of it because I felt like I was part of a family that cared as much about animals as I do. Founders Amanda and Larry put their all into every Zovargo program, and they put the same amount of effort into helping their interns improve. Through Zovargo, I learned to be comfortable in front of a crowd, present information in an engaging way, and to handle and care for a wide variety of animals. I think their internship is the best opportunity in San Diego for people who want to become educators and have a passion for animals and conservation. read more

I interned at Zovargo for about a year. Zovargo gave me a thorough introduction to animal education. Not only have I learned how to handle and care for a wide variety of animals, I have been pushed in public speaking abilities. Whatever you want to pursue in life, Zovargo will teach you something that you can apply to that field. Everyone in Zovargo is welcoming and they truly want you to learn and get better at whatever you are working on. The environment is focused, yet lighthearted and silly. I will miss Zovargo, but the people, animals, and skills that they taught me will never be forgotten. read more

Zovargo provides animal interactive experiences for kids of all ages. Their thoughtfully planned presentations expose children and adults to themes of conservation, humanity, and care for animals. I have booked them several times and have also been to birthday parties that featured Zovargo. They claim that they "Bring the zoo to you!" and they dont disappoint! I love that they have a wide selection of animals indigenous to countries all over the world. They rescue these animals and showcase them as ambassadors of their species and country. Each animal has a story and a conservation link in the programming. Kids learn to protect animals and the environment all in one go! The Zovargo team keeps the safety and wellness of the animals in mind first by letting their audience know that interaction with the animals are contingent on respect. The animals all appear well cared for and you can see the Animal Educators smile lovingly when handling the animals. Zovargo do birthday parties, private parties, and Girl Scout programs. They allow respectful touching of many animals. They also do crafts, demonstrations, and community building activities. I would fully recommend Zovargo to parents, scout leaders, and educators. read more

Amanda and Larry pour so much work, effort, and love into every aspect of Zovargo. As an intern, I was constantly being offered new tools to help me develop as an educator, as well as endless encouragement. They also absolutely love every animal ambassador as a a member of the family, which was how I knew immediately that I had found the right place. Working with Zovargo's animal ambassadors has been deeply rewarding in ways that I don't think I can properly describe. I have learned so much, and gained so much valuable experience as both an educator and as someone looking forward to a career in wildlife research. And I'm not done yet! My internship started in September of 2017 and ended eight months later when I became a Senior Educator and permanent member of the Zovargo team. Since this promotion, I have been entrusted with increasing amounts of animal care as well as educational program development, and I'm looking forward to creating new ways to engage the community through education and animal interactions. read more

I undertook an Internship with Zovargo and had a great time! This internship is a great platform to develop skills required for a career in the animal world! Through presenting, your public speaking skills will grow and you will be trained in animal handling and how to deal with public interaction. I started with Zovargo around September 2016 and have continued to work with them for more than a year. They initially were offering a 6-month internship - but they are super flexible once this time is up and were kind enough to give me an extension and more responsibilities on different projects. Zovargo are a great company to intern with - they offer a variety of opportunities; from educators to photographers to event planning to admin - if you have a skill set you think you can use well they will give you the platform and are always encouraging with new ideas for Zovargo growth. Amanda and Larry work so hard to keep Zovargo successful and just seeing the 'behind the scenes' of what goes into a small business was really inspiring to me. They have a great model, and it is so important that the driving force behind the company is a true love of animals and ambition to educate the community. The Zovargo community is great to be involved in - they are a kind hearted, hard working group. As well as getting to know the team during events and presentations - lots of effort is made to hold social occasions outside of work. From birthdays, to the yearly retreat, to seasonal team bonding it is a really fun group to be a part of. I DEFINITELY recommend applying for an internship with Zovargo if you want to develop your experience working with animals and with animal loving people. read more

Zovargo is synonymous to learning, fun, and excellence. From the very first phone call, Amanda made every effort to make our daughter's 6th party a most memorable event, from flexible scheduling to knowledgeable coordination (of a new last-minute venue, since our original one fell through). The Zovargo Team far exceeded our expectations ensuring that all party-goers (kiddos and adults alike) had personalized time within the activities and show presentation. We knew which animals were going to make their awesome appearance in the show; but, WOW... we didn't know just how much we were going to learn about each! NOTE: Our daughter was first introduced to Zovargo via GSSD. The impression Zovargo left was so significant that she requested them by-name as her birthday party theme. ANOTHER NOTE: We highly recommend booking at least 1.5 hours (with the arts and crafts time) - you will not be disappointed! If you really cannot make up your mind about what to book, then give the Zovargo Reps a call; and, they (Amanda, in our case) will TOTALLY take care of you. Our family LOVES Zovargo! All the party-goers still talk about their experience! We're looking forward to the next opportunity to see the Team - both animals and staff! read more

I've heard great things about zovargo and they still exceeded my expectations! Extremely talented and friendly staff! Well worth booking. Fun for adults and kids alike. They are very good to their animals and really know how to put on an enjoyable and educational presentation. This is an experience you and your children will remember forever! read more

Excellent show and informative show. The staff was great with the kids. Larry, was the kids mascot. Amanda was the main show, she was very informative and professional. read more

Zovargo - Educational Services Near Me

Amanda & Larry have put everything they got into Zovargo & it shows! They provide a wonderful experience for all ages. I enjoyed watching their volunteers teach us about frogs at the Fall Family Festival. read more

Zovargo - Educational Services Near Me

Since I was little, I knew that I wanted to work with animals. The trick with that is trying to find and obtain the right experience to pursue your career goals. When I found Zovargo, I was still in high school and had barely just turned eighteen. The only animal experience I had was with the animals on my ranch and through volunteering at the Arizona Humane Society. To my surprise, Amanda and Larry took a chance on me. While I have gained so much experience handling and taking care of various animals, the most important skill that I have taken away from this internship is being an educator. It is a powerful thing to inspire conservation and compassion for animals and the environment. Through every single program I attended, I got to be apart of Zovargo's mission. Speaking to large or even small audiences may seem scary at first, but the point of the internship is to grow into an amazing educator. Amanda and Larry are there to be your mentors, as they have been for me. On top of creating, changing, and updating programs, Amanda and Larry put an endless of effort into ensuring that all their educators have the right tools to be successful through the entirety of their internship. While the internship is a six month minimum, I decided to stay for a year and a half! Up until, Amanda and Larry decided to take me on as a Senior Educator! I can truly say that Zovargo offers so much opportunity. Not only within the organization, but all over as well! Unfortunately, my time with Zovargo had to end because I had to move to Texas. If it weren't for Zovargo, I would not be able to pursue my new career in wildlife rehabilitation. I cannot thank Amanda and Larry (and Zovargo as a whole!) enough for mentoring me, encouraging me, and allowing me to grow through this organization and beyond. read more

I had to opportunity to intern with Zovargo for six months. What an amazing experience! Amanda and Larry truly care about these animals. They really do practice what they preach. It was amazing to see how much time and effort they relentlessly poured into Zovargo. Being an intern at Zovargo helped me gain many skills, including animal handling, public speaking, and learning how to connect with all sorts of people. I was often a shy speaker, but Zovargo helped me learn how to pour my passion for animals into my talks. Before I had never handled many of the species that Zovargo includes. Through this program I was quickly taught how to properly handle and care for all the different kinds of creatures. I would highly recommend interning here if you are interested in any career related to animals. Lastly, interacting with strangers at events helped me learn how to connect with people of all types and ages, and I became excited about sharing the love I had for animals with them. I will never forget the rewarding experiences that Zovargo provided. The Zovargo team is truly an amazing group to work with. Every member deeply cares about the Zovargo mission. read more

I had an incredible animal birthday party thanks to Zovargo! Their team is well-informed and passionate about their animal ambassadors -- they love their animals, and it shows in the quality of their work. Their program was educational with a ton of personality. They seamlessly tailor their programs towards audiences of all ages! Our party consisted of all adults, and we had such a blast. I know that they have activities for boisterous young audiences, and were able to provide an expansive interactive experience for adults that could provide a quiet environment for the animals. Their team was such a joy to work with! They accommodated for my schedule and my apartment space, and they were extremely friendly and professional every step of the way. I would not hesitate to recommend the Zovargo team and their animal programs, especially as a unique and memorable animal birthday party! read more

I had an opportunity to intern with Zovargo in past four months. Such an amazing experience! Amanda and Larry join a lot of effort in taking care of their animals. They give school kids a chance to closely see and touch the animals instead of seeing them in the zoo. I truly appreciate this intern opportunity cuz it allows to learn animal handling, animal habitat&ecosystem concept, and more importantly,public speaking. I couldn't even believe that I actually did it. The whole team is being very helpful to support me to learn these teaching skills. And the whole process is kinda systematic. They trained me until make sure I was comfortable to give an official talk in the event. Thank you Amanda&Larry! Thank you team Z! read more

These guys are the best! We booked for my son's 9th birthday and he absolutely loved the experience. They set up in our driveway, brought our top choice animals and all of the kids (and adults) in attendance were mesmerized! Professional, engaging and overall great fun. Wonderful alternative to a bouncy house or other typical party activities. Planning was a breeze due to Amanda's awesome communication and kindness. We thank zovargo and recommend to any animal loving kiddos looking an amazing experience. read more

Zovargo isn't a place, it's a lifestyle. I have never met anyone more committed to a cause than Amanda and Larry and, I have been very fortunate to find myself interning at Zovargo. Not only have I learned about all the amazing superpowers that our animal ambassadors have but I have been able to develop my superpower, being an animal educator. I came to Zovargo terrified of public speaking. The mere thought of it would make my hands sweat and my heart race but over time, with the encouragement and support from Amanda and Larry, I was less scared something I never thought possible. There are few places that offer the kind of training and experience that Zovargo has to offer. You get to work with all kinds of animals, from fluffy bunnies to tiny death-feigning beetles. I only wished I had more time to spare to continue working at this wonderful organization. For anyone looking to save the world and promote animal conservation, Zovargo is the place for you. read more

Zovargo did an amazing job in my 2nd grade classroom of 22 students. They were informative, engaging, and fun! The kids really loved the interactive presentation. We had been learning about the rainforest, so being able to see and touch some of these creatures was really a great way to connect it to our learning. After the animal presentation, the kids worked in teams to build a rainforest habitat led by Zovargo members. This was a great and engaging activity. Thank you! The kids were buzzing about the presentation all day as well as the next few days and are constantly going to see the habitats they built. Thank you for a wonderful presentation. I highly recommend them. read more

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Zovargo: WOW, we are still speechless as to how AWESOME you guys are! Five stars truly isn't enough as you exceeded at putting on an interactive presentation that was far beyond anything we could've hoped for. Monroe's eighth birthday party was a huge hit thanks to the spectacular job the Zovargo team did with keeping our large rowdy party of 17 kids within the 5-8 age range fascinated with all of the knowledge and experience they provided throughout the program. This team loves what they do and it reflects in their enthusiasm for children, animals and outreach. I can't recommend Zovargo enough and will continue to do so! Until our next booking, we can't THANK YOU enough Zovargo! read more

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Zovargo has planned and executed two fantastic Girl Scout journeys for my daughter's troops. They worked with both the Daisy and Junior levels catering to their interests and age groups. Each were completely different, followed the girl scout journey requirements explicitly and were fun for the girls. The bugs and animals they brought showcased the content and were a pleasure to experience. Amanda, Larry and her her other volunteers were so knowledgeable, prepared, kind and patient. I highly recommend their services if you are looking for something fun and different! read more

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I have been very impressed with this organization from its inception. The live animals are very handleable, and the handling is done with the utmost care for the comfort of the animals as well as the audience. The setup is colorful and attractive, with lots of hand-on items, and the presentations are impeccable on facts and on point with conservation messages. Staff is friendly, outgoing, and knowledgeable. Highly recommend. read more

The Zovargo team has come out multiple times for the Poway Girl Scouts and each time has been an outstanding experience! From small badge programs to multi-day leadership journeys, Zovargo is truly what I would call a true community partner. The Zovargo staff members truly understand the requirements and intent of our badges and journeys. The way in which they incorporate animals and artifacts into the teaching of the programs is second to none. And they are VERY good at accommodating the changing needs and logistics of our Girl Scout troops. I am pleased to give them a positive review and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone who is looking for a fun mobile experience! read more

Zovargo did an amazing program for our Daisy troop! The girls were so enthralled with each animal, enjoyed the crafts and had such a great time. Thank you to Amanda, Larry, Ross and Ihani for coming out and providing such a fun and educational way to do a Daisy Journey! read more

I scheduled a class with Zovargo for my Girl Scout troop of Juniors and Cadettes! They were amazing and super accommodating with the two different age groups. I requested that they ensure all girls completed steps to earn a patch. When they should up I could tell that they did their homework to figure out what was required for the patches. My Juniors earned Product Designer and the Cadettes earned Entrepreneur, all while learning and interacting with animals! The girls have already asked when we can have a meeting with Zovargo again! read more

Zovargo is such a great organization! They have come to our community vendor nights and pull out all the stops. They bring in a great exhibit for the kids. Lots of great animals, color & interest. The kids are drawn to their booth. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. They also have the most beautiful Bengal cat. I can't say enough good things about Zovargo, and look forward to building our relationship in the future. Thank you Zovargo!!! read more

My first Zovargo event, I met the love of my life. His name was Chico and he melted my heart. I stood in awe as this bird was gingerly perched upon an educator's index finger and fluffed his feathers, a puffball of sunshine. I broke my gaze and noticed the crowded room full of dropped jaws and gleaming eyes. Kids turned to their friends, who were strangers seconds before, cooing about how handsome Chico was, and--what?! His superpower is that he is super smart?! Incredible. Once Leo, our Bengal Cat Ambassador, was on the prowl, tiny hands reached out as if to see if this spectacular moment was merely a mirage. The tentative touches led to a sea of smiles. The whole room was lit up with joy! This is the impact of Zovargo. Anyone can spit out a couple animal facts or a choppy conservation message, but Zovargo takes the time to tailor programs to different people and learners. Nobody wants to be talked at or lectured. Zovargo not only makes "science come to life" and learning addictive, but people have the opportunity to safely interact with all types of animals and build memories to last a lifetime! I never expected this internship to impact my life at the level it did. When meeting new people, I always mention how I am a Zovargo Intern. Making a commitment to anything is not an easy feat, but committing to Zovargo was definitely one of the best decisions I've made in a long time. Not only do you get to talk about animals ALL the time, but you get to be a part of someone's special moment when they conquer their fear of holding a tarantula or stand in awe of a Sun Conure like Chico. January 2018 will be my year and a half mark interning with Zovargo. I am still gaining new skills and learning every program! Zovargo has helped me flourish as a public speaker and taught me interpretation skills which have helped me succeed in many aspects of mye life. Being an intern prepared me tremendously to take on the role as an educator at SeaWorld. Since I was a little girl, I've dreamed of becoming an animal trainer. Interning at Zovargo is a great place to start getting animal experience! Amanda and Larry make sure their educators are equipped to take on the world by teaching us how to properly care for all our ambassadors, as well as provide crucial animal safety and handling training. After undergoing multiple trainings, I am able to lead programs and help train new team members. You too, can be a Zovargoian! You don't make friends at Zovargo, you make lifetime bonds. I have never felt alone or anxious during a presentation because I knew my team had my back and I know they always will! We are a family. We are Zovargo. Update: Zovargo helped me build a strong foundation and provided me with the support I needed in order to progress in my goals. I am ecstatic to announce I will be interning at the National Marine Mammal Foundation training dolphins and sea lions! Thank you Zovargo!!! I couldn't have done it without you! read more

I hired Zovargo for my Son's 6th Birthday Party. I had come across their website on Yelp. Amanda was extremely professional and accommodating. A fun time was had by all and they did an excellent job! I highly recommend them for your next event! read more