Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, I was just thinking, there are a few animal conservationists,/naturalists on animal planet that all have different styles of shows. I have heard rumors of some of them using either cold snakes or domestic snakes, set out there for them to "find".

Four naturalists in perticular are (with my opinion) are:

Austin Stevens: This guy did the special on anacondas. I have no respect for him, and i dont think he actually found these snakes. I beleive he stages everyshot and it is all scripted. I dont like his personality either. They did a shot of him "wrestling" a 10-15 ft anaconda in the water, and not only did the snake just try to get away without attacking him (i mean he was grabbing it, and no wild anaconda from my knowledge would take that lightly) , the camera also did a full body whirl showing all 360 degrees of the shot, also why i think it is all stages etc. Just my Opinion.

Jeff Corwin: I like his show, and i love seeing the different species, but i do beleive in almost all of his shows he uses cold snakes etc. He's a funny guy and i respect him for that, and he also has a weird sense of humor. LOL funny guy, but dont think it is a true show of "catching" the "wild" reptiles.

Mark Oshea: I respect this guy in the fullest. You have to know he doesnt place any snakes anywhere for him to find, because sometimes you never even see the animal he is looking for in his show! Its probably one of the truest naturalist/animal show, but it kind of lacks the interesting aspect. At times it can be a little boring, but there is always beautiful scenery etc, and usually pretty cool animals.

Steve Irwin: God i love this dude! He is my hero. For the most part, he does not use cold snakes, and does not even use a snake stick, just sticks he finds out there for the HOT snakes. I love how he has the enthusiasm of a child, yet the knowledge of a pro. I love that show so much, you are never are bored with that show! I think that, unlike Mark Oshea, if they dont find the animal they are looking for, they try to find as many other animals as possible to make up for it.

Just my Opinions, and Id like yours! Write your opinions of each of these guys, or add one or two of your own!

Just thought id do this little thing

Later.
David - KDRKreatures

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KDRKreatures.com
Exotic Reptile Breeders - Specializing in Bearded Dragons

Email

I think it sounds like you have them nailed.

for a lot of shows about wild critters I'd say they have to do a lot of filming to get a real spur-of-the-moment shot.
so it is I think to be expected that they do some setups to save time and money.

I do like the "Croc Hunter" I get the feel that he is very "real" in how he works his shows.

I just wish he would do like a 1 hour BD show to show us where they live and how they get on in the wild. I know he has shown them now and then but .... oh well
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me personally, i like rob bredl. hes amazing, gives amazing demonstrations of what animals are like during mating season and what they can and cant do. he eats things that would make people on fear factor squirm, and goes into animals territories that no1 would ever think of. this guy really knows what hes talking about.
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0.2.0 Bearded Dragons
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider Turtle

Thanks in Advance
Stephan S.

Guess I've never seen him. What's the name of his show? Sounds like a must see.
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Robert Wood
Tulsa,OK

Well, I know the part about Jeff Corwin is partially true.

I have a friend who lives in Alpine, Tx. Also in Apline there is a man who is a snake fanatic. He's got all kinds of snakes, venemous and non, started a mouse factory for his snakes and now supplies frozen rodents all over the country.

Anyways, a lot of the college students in alpine work in the mouse factory, so when Jeff Corwin came down to Big Bend to do a show on rattlesnakes and borrowed a few of this guy's snakes as back-up in case they didn't find anything, word got around.

Of course, he still does a lot of the animal findings on his show the real way, but in the interest of keeping the show interesting should no animals show up, they keep a few on hand just in case. I do love Jeff Corwin's show, no matter how much is staged. He makes learning about animals and respecting them FUN, and that is always a wonderful thing.

I don't know about the first guy, but I think you're right on about Mark Oshea and Steve Irwin. Oshea is obviously the real deal because some of the shows he never finds a thing, and Steve is just the master, if he can't find what he's looking for he always finds something and makes it interesting to the audience.

One guy you didn't mention was Dr. Brady Barr. Maybe cuz he's on the National Geographic channel not AP. Anyways, I like him a lot too. He's very respectful of the wildlife he works with, and funny too.
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Amanda
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2.0 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)
1.0 pictus gecko (Nicodemus)
0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
0.0.1 tarantula (Calcifer)
1.0 ferret (Playstation)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)

You should repent....... LOL Or help me deal with my denial...... blah!
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Robert Wood
Tulsa,OK

Yeah you seem to be dead on with that. Irwinis a nut and always finds atleast something worth watching. Even when he does use a cold animal like a croc or gator if you can call them cold they still seem to get him once in awhile. Thats the best part of his show besides his knowledge on the animals. We stay tuned in just to see whats going to bite him next.

Corwin I watch because of his sense of humor and impersonations of people. The guy is a riot to watch sometimes and he does find some cool aniamls. But I would have to say he does use cold animals. I have seen him on tv just spot a whites tree frog or a monkey frog from an insane distance that no man would be able to see. But then again i am sure he is like all others when he spots them ahead of time so they dont waste to much film. Even Irwin does that.

And on that Annaconda wrestling one. That guy is so fake. He might have the knowledge but he lacks the skill to use cold animals in my oppinion. The fact that none of the annacondas attacked him is rediculous. That thing would have atleast tried to bite him or coil on him atleast a little. But it just let him spin around in the water and didnt react at all.

I think that Steve Irwin and Jeff Corwin both try to find as many other animals as they can when in a specific region. They try to give you as wide a variety as [possible to make the show more interesting. The difference between them isi that Jeff is kinda wierd and freaky with a strange sense of humor and only shows his true passion when holding the animals or through his off beat humor. (which is why he is my favorite... we're alot alike) Steve is just like BRING IT....LOL he is so high energy it is hard not to get excited watching him. They both have such an undeniable passion for thier work and reptiles I find it hard to believe either would use colds to make a show. But out of the three I watch ( Mark, Jeff and Steve) I would say that Jeffs' show would be the one if it happens...

Mark is more of a direct "I have a mission" straight forward herpatologist who is more about doing a documentary of his exploits than really haveing an exciting popular tv show. Just a straight up herpatologist... no glammour.

I really respect all three. If thjey did use colds or captives to get a little more into the show I wouldn't care. I still learn alot from them and enjoy watching all three. ( however I wouldn't want to know that is what they are doing either...LOL)

That's my opinion. Fun post!

Later,
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Robert Wood
Tulsa,OK

I just have to laugh when I remember one Steve Irwin episode when he 'found' a bearded dragon racing across the desert, he cornered it, got down close, and it bit him on the nose drawing blood. Hahaha.

But you have all the others spot on. Jeff Corwin is one weird guy. I have to say though, I would rather they used cold snakes and made an interesting and informative show taht was true to fact, than pulle together some crap based upon what they could find in the wild.
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Ross

0.2 Bearded Dragons (1 Yellow, 1 Chris Allen/Sandfire)

right! I loved that shot!

so very real, that little bd saying:

"what the heck!
you big guys have me covered with lights and no where to run, I'll teach you a thing or two, phear the bite of the dragon!
Ha! SHowed you By Crickey!

Have a G-Day Mate!"

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LOL I remember that episode too. Irwin should know better than trying to corner a dragon.

Giving the fact animals don't always co-operate, a little staging is most likely done on all nature shows. I personally have nothing against that providing the animals welfare is foremost in mind. However these guys (only really seen Jeff Corwin and Steve Irwin, never was able to see Mike Oshea's or that other guy's show on Animal Planet here in Canada so can't give a personal opinion on them) seem to be experts at finding animals in the wild. There were many times Steve or Jeff would point at the bush (and the camera of course looks that way) and all I could see was bush, rock, grass etc..no snake or lizard at all. The shot would change showing Steve or Jeff bounding off into the bush and coming out with some sort of critter and I am thinking, either these guys know what to look for or they knew it was there because it was put there.

However I know Steve does find things in the wild that are not stage (or at least I hope he didn't do this on purpose for a great shot). I remember a couple of episodes where he was called from his Zoo to rescue a bat and a sugar glider (on different shows) that got themselves all caught up on barbed wire. These animals were really injured and I would flip to feel this was staged. I just don't feel these were staged at all, as a guy can't fake that sort of compassion seen on Steve's face around injured animals unless he really is a world glass actor.

A special on Dragons of Australia certainly would be a cool episode. Probably the best way to get an episode like this is to write or email Steve asking for it. They may not want to do a whole episode just on bearded dragons, but if they include all the lizards commonly called 'dragons', such as the water dragon, frilled dragon etc, maybe it would be more feasible.

"A special on Dragons of Australia certainly would be a cool episode. Probably the best way to get an episode like this is to write or email Steve asking for it. They may not want to do a whole episode just on bearded dragons, but if they include all the lizards commonly called 'dragons', such as the water dragon, frilled dragon etc, maybe it would be more feasible."

that would sure work.... now how do we get enough folks from here to ask them to do it?

I have emailed them before, but I doubt that me sending to many requests will go far... any way we can setup a sticky post or such here?

-- One thing I wish was changed here is the message software, the format here is kinda "Old" and not very functional.
I'd Vote for say the asp.net comunity server software if they ran a WIndows Server in the backend of the site, it's got all the features on most systems and it's free and open source.
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hi
i never forget steve runned for a comodo dragon and he must climb in a tree.
the comodo bite in his shoe he whas very lucky.
the siliber of the comodo have many bacterias that r deadly.
some time steve is abit of a thrillseeeker but funny so watch
byeeee