Monday November 6th 2006, Frank Buck Zoo community partner Suddenlink sponsored an appearance by Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom special correspondent and host Peter Gros. The event was held at Whaley United Methodist Church and hosted by the Frank Buck Zoological Society. Frank Buck Zoo Director Susan Kleven has known and worked with Wild Kingdom hosts Jim Fowler and Peter Gros for a number of years. “Peter has some great stories about being mentored by and working with Jim Fowler during production of the original Wild Kingdom series. Working with animals can be a very humbling experience and Peter isn’t afraid to share some of his more humbling moments,” said Kleven.

Gros shared stories about taking a group of American fifth grade students into the Rainforest of South America. “I liked when he told the story about the students and crew eating soggy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and how the native guides found their meal in the rainforest around them. The guides cut vines to get fresh pure water and picked ripe star fruit for lunch. There aren’t any first aid kits in the rainforest, but people use ant pinchers to close cuts, Peter called it Mother Nature’s stitches,” said Brenna, an Aubrey resident.

Photo: Peter Gros & Frank Buck Zoo Director Susan Kleven in front of the late Wild Kingdom host Marlon Perkin’s statue in Carthage, MO.

Gros showcased hissing cockroaches, a legless lizard, pythons, a fennec fox, red tail hawk, kestrel, red tegu, alligator and more provided by Animal Edutainment. Following the program several attendees had their pictures taken with Gros and “Allie” the alligator, in which afterwards Gros autographed the photo as a momento of the evening. The Zoological Society served animal crackers, juice, soda and Miss Olivia’s famous brownies for refreshments.

“I got an email from a Gainesville mom thanking us for the hosting the event. Her child was so excited about having met a real alligator, he hadn’t stopped talking about it, and was looking forward to showing off his picture at school,” said Zoological Society president Karen Estes Cook.

“Later that night Jack Hanna appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman with the largest python in captivity. I was so excited when I saw several men holding the python stretched out across the stage. I thought, that is what we did tonight! Our kids in Gainesville got to line up across the stage and hold pythons earlier tonight,” said Cook.

The original Wild Kingdom, which premiered on January 6, 1963, took viewers to the far corners of the world and studied wild animals in their natural habitats. The program let viewers see the action, but not the violence, which helped make it the favorite nature show of millions of American families.

“Suddenlink was a natural choice for a community partnership with the zoo since they provide Animal Planet programming to the Gainesville market,” said Kleven. Suddenlink is owned by Cox Middle America, although Suddenlink is a new name for the cable provider, local Systems Manager Bret Burleson says it is the “same people and same service”. Suddenlink supplied cups, koozies, Animal Planet tattoos, stuffed pandas and other give away items. The new Wild Kingdom currently airs on Discovery Channel’s Animal Planet.