Peter Gros of "Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom"

Wildlife expert and TV host Peter Gros has nearly 30 years of field experience with the animal kingdom. His life is dedicated to inspiring young people to care about wildlife and wild places. He starred on the original Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom series —one of the best known and longest-running series on nature and the animal world—and is now an advisor for the show’s continued run on Animal Planet. In his popular live presentations, Peter shares his exciting animal world, travel experiences, and timeless tales. He highlights his many adventures with a mix of video clips and bloopers while introducing friendly exotic animals to audience members, and telling inspirational stories dealing with issues of conservation, travel, and wildlife filming. More than a TV host, Peter is also an active environmental conservationist. In his former position as director of land animals and vice president at Marine World/Africa USA, he established breeding programs for 377 endangered animals. He also developed a rehabilitation program for birds of prey, as well as the largest captive breeding colony of ostriches in the United States. He is a licensed exhibition and animal educator for the U.S.D.A. and an active member of the American Zoo and Aquariums Association and Zoological Association of America. “We need to continue to deliver a message to all about how each of us can make a daily difference in preserving our natural world.” – Peter Gros. See Peter Gros talks about misunderstood animals on Live with Kelly here Tickets: $15-$35 (eligible for Arts Center subscriber discounts) Suggested for children ages 5+ and their families. Sponsored in part by Larry and Nancy Peckham About the animals: The animal ambassadors appearing with Peter are licensed both state and federal and fully insured. The animals were hand raised on bottles or have been rescued; they are completely imprinted on people. When they’re not visiting theaters in fun filled educational presentations, they’re visiting schools with students of all ages to help connect children to our natural world. The hand raised animal ambassadors associate people with food rewards and affection. When a child sees these magnificent animals up close there’s an immediate connection and concern about wildlife and wild places!