Where It All Began
Nurtured by Nature is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that was formed in 2008 by husband and wife team, Kevin & Wendy Yates, in Valley Center, CA after Southern California wildfires destroyed their home and surrounding area in 2003. After experiencing unconditional support from the entire community to help rebuild their home, they wanted to give back to the same community that gave so much! Kevin & Wendy’s appreciation for family, community, and the natural world, has fostered the idea of Nurtured by Nature – to provide solace in times of misfortune or trouble.
Our programs provide a once in a lifetime experience to children in need through individual animal encounters at our facility. Guests get a chance to meet and interact with Fennec Foxes, Capybara, Two-toed Sloth, Lemurs, Armadillos, and Kangaroos. The highlight of our program is interacting with our Asian Small-clawed Otters. Weather permitting, visitors are able to swim & play with the otters. We also take the opportunity to teach the kids about each animal, its habitat, and how human behavior affects the natural world.
Animal Educators started in 1987 and is also run by Kevin and Wendy Yates. It was originally established as a for-profit business to bring nature based education into the classroom. Animal Educators has slowly transformed over the last 30 years to develop, implement, and provide sustainable interactions with the wonders of nature and environmentally sustainable breeding conservation programs for several species of reptiles and mammals.
