‘Out There With Jack Randall’s Star Honors Mentor Steve Irwin in Latest Croc-Centric Episode
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Nat Geo WILD is giving viewers someone new to watch in young zoologist, Jack Randall with the series Out There With Jack Randall.
The England native became fascinated with animals and wildlife at a young age, and when he met his hero the late Steve Irwin, it was just the beginning of his journey. Now, as a graduate of Oxford University, Randall is hoping to spread a message about the importance of conservation and passion for animals in the 6-part wildlife docuseries.
“I think the main thing is that [the show] to be entertaining, educational, and has a message through it, which promotes wildlife,” Randall muses about what sets Out There apart from other series in the wildlife genre. And viewers see the animal lover in plenty of entertaining scenarios whether it’s reaching out for creatures like spiders an lizards on trees or saving a joey kangaroo.
“It’s my mission really to promote the protection of species and biodiversity,” Randall shares, and fans will see this when he steps into the natural habitat of Australia’s fresh and saltwater crocodiles in the Sunday, July 28, episode, “Battle of the Crocs.”
Randall jumps into water with the crocs throughout the episode with an unbridled enthusiasm that easily reminds you of his mentor Irwin during his Crocodile Hunter days on Animal Planet.
“I’m telling the stories of these animals in their natural habitats, and some of the challenges that they may be facing with the climate or changes with other animals that they have to live alongside with.”
(Credit: National Geographic/Painless Television)
“Battle of the Crocs,” deals with the saltwater crocs invading the habitat of the freshwater crocs or”freshies” and Randall’s effort alongside fellow conservationists to balance the system. “There’s always been that kind of tug of war between species because they’re always interacting… You have resources that are limited and species need to compete against each other. That’s how species have evolved over time… And that’s why we have biodiversity.”
In an exclusive clip for TV Insider, you can see Randall wrestle with a freshie in an Australian body of water. Check out the segment below for a taste of the zoologist’s approach to the fascinating creatures.
While the episode is one of many, Randall’s interaction with the crocs hold a slightly deeper meaning that the rest of the creatures he interacts with because of a promise he made to Irwin at 15. While working at the Australia Zoo, Irwin decided to surprise Randall for his 15th birthday by letting him feed one of the crocs.
Before being allowed in Randall says, “He looked… deeply into my eyes, and I remember totally how he was looking at me. He was like, ‘I will not let you feed this crocodile unless you promise me right now for the rest of your life that you’ll protect crocodiles.’ I looked him in the eye and I said, ‘yeah, I promise.'”
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Randall’s keeping that promise and more with his work but there’s more to be done than ever as he shares the biggest threat wildlife faces in the world today. “Climate change, for sure,” he tells us, “But for wild animals, for biodiversity, the biggest challenge is habitat… The conflict is that we need land for producing food. That’s one of the biggest reason for habitat being lost globally.”
While the concern is there, Randall stays positive about the efforts being made, “I would like to inspire people to… take [zoology] as a field… the more zoologists that we have out there, it would be very beneficial.”
Perhaps you’ll be inspired by tuning into the show when it airs Sundays on Nat Geo WILD. Don’t miss his time with the crocs in the July 28 installment.
Out There With Jack Randall, Sundays, 10/9c, Nat Geo WILD
