2017, what an incredible year it has been. I seriously can't believe how fast it has flown by. I decided to put together my favorite moments of each month in pictures- which turned out harder than I thought. After many hours and countless cups of coffee, I finally sorted through my 9,000 + pictures and selected my favorites. 2017 was also a big year for me on The Today Show- I included those clips as well.
As always, thank you for the support and following me on my journey working with animals. I hope you enjoy this 2017 recap.
Happy New Years!
January
Top Left: Wally the Eurasian Eagle Owl from the World Center for Birds of Prey at Mix 106 Radio. Top Middle: Al Roker and owl chick. Top Right: On the set of The Today Show with Dean Cain, Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones, and a flock of Sun Conures. Bottom Left: Hugging Napoloen my pet emu. Bottom Middle: Birds taking over the set of The Today Show. Bottom Right: Pictured with Phung and Cora.
The beginning of 2017 was dedicated to the birds. It was the first time in my career I focused solely on birds for a national television spot...and I'm so happy I did. With the help from one of the world's best bird trainers, Phung Lu, and his assistant, Cora Monore, we were able to bring something that had never been done before on The Today Show. Birds literally took over the studio. An Aracari (small toucan), baby Spectacled Owl, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Rose-breasted Cockatoo, and a flock of Sun Conures exhibited behaviors that had never been seen before on the show. Take a look for yourself!
February
Top Left: Tank the Sulcata Tortoise on Valentine's Day. Top Right: Soni the alligator basking. Bottom Left: Godzilla the Green Iguana. Bottom Right: Hank the Sulcata Tortoise.
February of this year was unusually warm in our area along the Snake River near Marsing, Idaho. The animals enjoyed early access to their outdoor yards and exhibits.
March
Top/Bottom Left: Mowgli the Spider Monkey from Babby Farms clinging to Mike Kasper, My sister Micah, and Producer JD at MIx 106 Radio. Bottom Right: Hanging out with a Binturong in the KTVB kitchen set.
March was a very busy media month. To promote my upcoming Today Show appearance, I stopped by our local Boise radio station Mix 106, and NBC affiliate KTVB. I had to share these hilarious photos of Mowgli the Spider Monkey clinging to my poor sister, Mike, and producer JD!
Top: On the set of The Today Show with anchors Sheinelle Jones, Dylan Dreyer, and actor Ken Jeong with macaws and a Bamboo Shark. Bottom Left: Baby Blue and Gold Macaws. Bottom Right: Upside-down Jellyfish
In late March I returned to The Today Show with an assortment of colorful birds with professional bird trainer Phung Lu, and sharks and jellyfish from The Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ. Appearing on The Today Show, you never know who you'll be working with on set. This time around, the celebrity guest host was none other than Ken Jeong! (Think Mr. Chow from The Hangover Movies) Check it out!
April
Top Left: Painted Turtle. Top Right: Bull Frog. Bottom Left: Injured beaver. Bottom Right: Gopher Snake.
As the weather warms and the winter turns to spring, the more animal encounters we have out here on the Snake River. A lot of the times I'll run into wildlife during my jogs, like the beautiful Painted Turtle I found crossing the road. Other's I'll save from being roadkill, like the Gopher Snakes. Some I remove, like the invasive Bull Frog who invade our ponds. This spring though, I ran into a rare sight in my backyard; an injured beaver. If you followed along on my social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter) you'll know about the Mr. Beaver saga.
May
In May I came across more native wildlife that needed to be rescued. I found these baby ducks who were separated from their mom after a storm. After a successful rehabilitation, they were released back into the wild. I also gained a new animal ambassador; a Rose Hair Tarantula who my fiancee' despises. I even had the chance to bring that tarantula (along with my snakes) to visit my friends Maggie O'Mara and Doug Petcash at Boise's KTVB station.
I also returned to The Today Show with the help from my friends at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. We featured animals that could literally 'beat the heat'. Animals included a Fennec Fox, Pancake Tortoise, Three-banded Armadillo, and a Binturong! Check out the segment below!
June
In June we were able to accomplish many things around our property. My favorite was finishing the cabin siding on our outdoor animal buildings. They now look like "mini cabins"! We also moved Chompers my 6 ft. American Alligator to her outdoor exhibit for the summer. I look forward every year to the pictures we take before the move. They grow up so fast!
The animals and I also had the chance to promote summer reading programs at various events around southwestern Idaho. Other fun encounters in June included a visit to Mix 106 Radio in Boise with baby coyotes and raccoons from our friends at Animals In Distress. My favorite part about working with them, is that the native wildlife they rescue is used for educational purposes until they are released back into the wild.
July
July is one of my favorite months out of the year. The weather is warm, the animals are outside, and I can appreciate all that the river has to offer.
At the end of July, I returned to The Today Show with the help from my friends at The Turtle Back Zoo. As I mentioned prior, you never know who you will be working with on the show. This time around it was model superstar Tyra Banks. I'm not sure if animals were her thing, but I sure enjoyed the awkward interactions. Check it out below!
August
August had many memorable events including the once-in-a-lifetime eclipse, visiting Shoshone Falls, and Hank's first day of Kindergarten.
September
I spent Labor Day on the set of The Today Show with Albert Einstein, the Two-toed Sloth from The Turtle Back Zoo. Meeting Albert was one of my favorite animal encounters of 2017...I think the anchors would agree!
In September my family also welcomed a new addition to the family, a German Sheppard puppy! Fennec Foxes have nothing on those large ears of his! During this time of the year is also when we start moving the animals indoors due to the cooler weather. In just a couple of months, Chompers seems even bigger!
October
Along with the fall colors that hit our area along the Snake River, we welcomed a new ambassador, a Three-toed Box Turtle named Herman.
The animals and I also participated in a large Halloween Event at the Village in Meridian. Our stage show educated and entertained quite the crowd! Other memorable moments include audience reactions meeting Shere Khan, my 13-ft. Albino Burmese Python.
November
In November I embarked on two new ventures; filming webisodes and starting a podcast. Just in the last couple of months, they both have opened up so many doors. I've connected with other people who share the same passion for animals, gained new followers, and most importantly, discovered new passions I never knew I had. Oh, I also couldn't forget pictures from the animal's favorite holiday, Thanksgiving!
December
Reindeer encounters, ugly Christmas sweaters, and frosty trees sum up the month of December!
As I look back on the year, I can't help but be grateful for all that 2017 has had to offer. I've had incredible animal encounters, met new friends along the way, and had new opportunities to share my passion for animals on various platforms. It's been quite the ride. I cannot wait to see what 2018 has to offer! I sincerely thank every one of you who take the time to read these posts, listen to the podcasts, and follow my journey working with animals. Happy New Year! Here's to a great 2018! Until next time, Corbin.