A respected presence in the Tampa, Florida community, Jonathan "Jon" Yob has founded and led several businesses and serves as the president of the Yob Family Foundation (YFF). Through the foundation, Jonathan Yob sponsors programs and projects hosted by organizations such as the Florida Aquarium and A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay. YFF also sponsors the Koala Photo Encounter at ZooTampa.
In addition to the koala encounter, ZooTampa offers other up-close encounters, including the following:
1. African Elephant Backstage - Offered on weekends and select weekdays, the African Elephant Backstage encounter allows guests ages 5 and up to see what goes into caring for the world's largest land animal. Visitors can also watch a live training session.
2. Southern White Rhino Backstage - ZooTampa has a rhino barn where visitors can experience massive white rhinos from a relatively close distance. Caregivers are also on hand to relay amazing facts about the animal.
3. Manatee Critical Care Center Backstage Encounter - Visitors at least 5 years of age and older can go behind the scenes at ZooTampa's David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center to see how caregivers work to rehabilitate injured and orphaned manatees. This center is the first of its kind in the US.
