The wild world of Jarod Miller By Maria Scrivani Miller swimming with an African elephant. Photos supplied by Jarod Miller. He’s been charged by a cheetah, kicked by a kangaroo, and lassoed by a lemur’s tail. You could say it’s all in a day’s work for zoologist and TV host Jarod Miller, except that there is no “work day” as such for a 24/7 animal advocate. The Boston, N.Y., native is having too much fun living his dream to take a vacation. The Eden High School and State University of New York at Oswego graduate holds a degree in zoology. After college, he served as executive director of the Binghamton Zoo, the youngest zoo director in the country at the time. Today, at the ripe age of thirty-two, he’s host of his own nationally syndicated program, Animal Exploration, and has appeared numerous times on popular network shows ranging from the Today Show to those of Jay Leno and Rachael Ray. Miller is never far from friends who are four-legged, furry, and/or fishy. After having spent time in California, he’s relocated to the Boston hills, where he maintains an animal sanctuary and an outreach program for local schools. It’s all in service to a mission he embraced in childhood, to study animals, work with them on a daily basis, travel the world, and educate others. Miller with a Komodo dragon (from Animal Exploration with Jarod Miller); production crew from Animal Exploration filming whales in the Pacific. If he can inspire a few conservation converts among the kids who are the target audience of Animal Exploration (and the adults who dutifully watch with them, only to find themselves equally entertained by themes like “who’s the fastest animal?”), it’s all to the good. “The world is changing rapidly—animals are going extinct every day. I remind folks that we are sharing the planet.” On the Amazon River, with local kids who had never seen a video camera before. What do think of trendy pets, like exotic animals? Some unique animals like snakes and birds make great pets for the right owner, but I am not an advocate of people trying to keep wild animals as pets. It’s a huge responsibility to care for animals. Rehabbed cheetah cubs in South Africa; Petfinder (Animal Planet) presenting thousands of donated aluminum cans to help a little girl adopt a horse. What is the role of zoos in the 21st century? Zoos have evolved dramatically over the past fifteen years. They serve the important role of keeping animals in the public consciousness and facilitating the breeding of endangered species. The Buffalo Zoo, like other modern zoos, is not just a stamp collection of animals to be viewed solely for entertainment. They have built habitats for animals, not just enclosures. And in Buffalo, which is one of the oldest zoos, there is a respect for and maintenance of history coupled with the development of modern exhibits, like the rainforest habitat. Miller as host of Greatest American Dog (CBS), shown here with series winner Travis and his dog Presley; Live with Regis and Kelly. On Today; with Macy Gray, Betty White, and Jay Leno on the Tonight Show; and on Rachael Ray. Do you think the tragedy of Steve Irwin, the animal show host who was killed by a sting-ray’s barb, has altered perception of programs like yours? Steve Irwin died doing what he loved. He was an explorer. I have been in some dangerous situations when out in the wild—I was once charged by a cheetah. People are afraid of animals because they don’t understand them. I have a background in animal behavior research; I also have a great deal of respect for wild animals. Are you all about wild animals? Actually I started out training dogs when I was still in high school. I do love travel, and I always wanted to combine that love with an interest in learning more about all kinds of animals. Do you have a favorite place? I loved a trip I took to Peru and the Amazon River basin. There were all kinds of monkeys and birds. I saw tapirs and a 20-foot anaconda. In remote cultures, you see the native interaction with animals. I come from a scientific background, but here I learned about the spiritual connection with other creatures. What’s your favorite animal? I don’t have any pets right now, but I do maintain a licensed wildlife facility on my property which keeps us busy. We have an alligator—a pet rescue—also, snakes and birds of prey. And a ring-tailed lemur, which we’ve had for over eighteen years. I guess that’s my favorite right now, but really, I love them all. Learn more about Jarod Miller’s work and when else to catch his syndicated show at www.jarodmiller.com and www.animalexploration.com. Maria Scrivani hasn’t had a pet since her childhood dog, Julie, died—but she admires pet owners, and loves visiting the Buffalo Zoo. SUBSCRIBE NOW Back to the Table of Contents Back to Top