From NY to open Blue Sky

All I can say is what a week! From staying at the epicenter of one of the world's busiest cities, to appearing on one of America's most popular morning shows, to searching sage brush for rattlesnakes in the remote Owyhee Mountains in Southern, Idaho. Each day held different sights, sounds, and experiences.

My week started early (4am to be exact) on Monday where I caught a flight to NYC. Even though I was there just a few weeks prior, I still couldn't hold my excitement. There is just something about New York.

During my visit in May, I had hardly any time to walk around and sight see. Luckily this time around, I had a full day to do just that! And I did...That day I walked over 12 miles.

Arguably one of the most recognizable buildings in New York is on the corner of Bedford and Grove. The "Friends" building and the area around it is one of my favorite places to walk around in the city.

A few blocks ahead from where I took this picture I noticed 150 NYPD standing around the front of a building. I later found out President Obama made a special appearance in the city that day. His arrival would cause multiple blocks to be barricaded and many stuck in traffic for hours.

Luckily by the time he arrived, I was already in Central Park watching turtles, fish, and a very curious egret.

The first time I saw these animals I had to do a double-take; I was in New York City watching birds catch fish and turtles basking on logs. This seems like more of a scene I could find back home in Idaho!

The next morning I headed to the place that has been my TV home for the last few years; Studio 1A. Although this time around I would do something I had never done before; appear on "The Today Show" without animals.

I was there as a guest for their weekly trivia/pop culture segment "Who Knew?" to celebrate national zoo and aquarium month.

It's always so incredibly surreal being able to share the stage with a TV icon like Kathie Lee Gifford. I also thoroughly enjoyed our conversations on-and-off camera. Our off-air topics ranged from signing wine bottles to how large the iguanas were outside her vacation home in the Florida Keys. It was also great catching up with old friends (producers), who make all of this possible.

Directly after the show I changed into my baseball cap and tank and headed straight to the Bronx Zoo. It ranks as one of my favorite zoos in the country.

My first stop? The Madagascar exhibit featuring the zoo's giant Nile Crocodiles. The exhibit is phenomenal with underwater views of the ancient reptiles submerged in their deep pool. I honestly could have watched them for hours!

I was also able to feel like I was 12 again taking the zoo's dinosaur safari!

One of the best places to see gorillas outside of Africa is the Congo Gorilla Forest Exhibit. It's so incredibly naturalistic that you actually feel like you're walking in an African rainforest.

Visiting the Bronx Zoo was the perfect way to end my stay in New York. Now it was time to head back home!

My first order of business was doing absolutely nothing but spending the day with the animals. It's honestly one of my favorite things to do.

The next day I drove to Fossil Butte where the Idaho Herpetological Society was holding its annual field trip. I've been a member of the society since I was 13, but honestly haven't made the field for a couple of years. It was great to be back!

We might have not had any luck finding rattlesnakes...but I was happy to spot this little guy!

I couldn't imagine a better way to end the week; under a blue sky hiking the Owyhee's.

Happy Father's Day

I seriously have the best dad in the world. He's been there for me every step of the way; whether it's helping me on a local TV station in Casper, Wyoming or making sure a Fennec Fox doesn't get loose on "The Today Show", he's always there. (By-the-way, the Fennec Fox did get loose.) All jokes aside, he's my best friend and I couldn't imagine going through life without him.

I decided to pay tribute to some of my favorite animal dads. Yes, we've all heard of the famous Emperor Penguin who incubates his egg in the frigid cold while his mate is off at sea. Though today, I wanted to share five dads who sometimes don't get as much credit as the famous penguin.

My first nomination for great animal dads goes to the Jackal. For one, they are monogamous and stay in pair bonds for life. (Very odd for mammals.) They also hunt and provide the female and offspring with food.

I might be a little biased on my next decision because the next contender for best dads happens to be one of my favorite animals I personally care for...All of that aside, I have to give credit to the Solomon Island Tree Skink. These remarkable skinks display a very unusual trait among reptiles; they showcase a degree of parental care. The male will stay with his offspring and protect the family and territory.

The emu has to be one of most dedicated dads in the animal kingdom! Not only does he solely incubate the eggs (the female leaves), he also stays with the offspring for several months afterwards, protecting them from predators and leading them to fresh food and water.

The African Bull Frog is one of the best amphibian dads in the world. He will fiercely defend his thousands of eggs until they hatch; often jumping at anything that could be considered a threat. He will also construct water channels for the tadpoles to connect them to larger water sources when their pools dry up. The only problem for the tadpoles? He often eats them while babysitting.

The Owl Monkey is my last and final contender for one of the best dads in the animal kingdom. They are devoted fathers caring for their offspring and are strictly monogamous, staying with their mates for life. They are the only primate to exhibit this type of dedication and parental behavior!

Spring recap

The last few weeks have been incredible. From traveling to New York for "The Today Show" to having a lemur get loose at a radio station, the experiences have been one-of-a-kind! Here's a look at some of my favorite highlights...

Promotion for "The Today Show" started a few days prior at Boise's #1 radio show "Mike and Kate in the Morning." I've been appearing on this show for years and have to admit it's one of my favorites. People always ask how can you do animals on the radio? It's quite simple. By using animals that can interact well with the hosts or animals that have a unique story to share. Brandy the lemur was perfect for the show! She even exhibited a few natural behaviors for us by scent marking any and everywhere! This meant peeing on the very expensive radio deck, Kate's chair, and my shoulder. It was also a great time to talk about the critically endangered Red-ruffed Lemur and other threatened species in Madagascar.

Another added plus was being on the show with musician Ryan Star. I've been a fan of his music for years and Junior and I ended up having something in common with him; we all were 'Leno' alumni! (Junior was the first animal I ever took on "The Tonight Show" at 14.) I would highly recommend Ryan's new album Angles + Animals. Check out more footage of the segment below.

With everything set to record, we were off to New York!

There is something incredible and unique about New York City. The tall sky skyscrapers, lights, and endless possibilities have drawn people here from all walks of life for centuries. There is simply no place like it. Every time I have the opportunity to visit it's a complete different experience. From the days of touring here at 18, dreaming of a chance to be on some of the most famous shows in the world, to the times when my dreams actually became a reality.

One of the #1 questions I get when I go back to New York is how we are able to transport the animals from Idaho. The answer is we don't. All of the animals used in the segments are from private, licensed facilities that specialize in using animals for educational outreach programs.

I couldn't have been more excited to share a few rainforest animals with KLG and Hoda and talk about one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world. Every time I have the opportunity to appear on national television, I feel so incredibly fortunate that I'm able to share my passion of animals with the country. Hopefully by doing so, I'm able to help educate and inspire people to protect them and their diminishing habitats. Shorty after, the Nielsen Ratings came in showing an national audience of over 2 million. I'd say the segment was success!

The next morning I stopped by the New York morning show "The Couch." I was thrilled to be able to talk about some of my favorite nocturnal animals including an Owl Monkey, Fennec Fox, and a porcupine. My favorite moment? When Abu the Owl Monkey spilled boiling hot coffee over my hand 3 seconds prior to air.

After a few days of press it was time to finally relax and explore the city. It was especially nice because I was joined by a few of my family members, including my cousin Terrie who'd never been to New York.

Our time in New York was incredible. No matter how many times I come here, each visit is a complete different experience filled with memories I'll never forget. Even though it's always bittersweet leaving, I was excited to get back home to the animals and the place I call home where there isn't a skyscraper in sight!

With spring wrapping up and summer just around the corner, there are so many things to look forward to. New animal exhibits, TV appearances, and projects are all starting to take flight. Until next time- Corbin

Behind-the-scenes of "Through the Eyes of a Vulture"

There are several reasons why I decided to write a blog sharing behind-the-scenes information on filming the short documentary "Through the Eyes of a Vulture." For one, the less than seven minute video doesn't tell the full story. We wanted it that way. We set out to produce a short, get-to-the-point film that helped depict the East African vulture crisis. Missing though is the journey. The days we spent tracking the large wildebeest herds, finding carcasses, and finally successfully capturing vultures. By using my journal notes and photos taken by people along the way, I will finally be able to tell the full story.

I flew back to Africa in late August/early September of 2012 to witness the Great Migration of the wildebeest and zebra. A lot of people have asked why it took nearly a year and a half to complete the documentary. There are various reasons why, but it mainly had to do with timing and my national media appearance schedule. A month after filming wrapped in Africa, I began making regular appearances on "The Today Show." (Talk about a dream come true!) Having to juggle those appearances and my tour schedule, it was difficult to find a set amount of time to work exclusively on the project. Not to mention my long-time editor is located out of state. Luckily we both found time and in the end it all worked out for the best!

As mentioned in the documentary, The Great Migration is the best time to capture vultures. So many animals lose their lives during this never-ending journey. Some are killed by large predators like lions and hyenas; although most actually succumb to pure exhaustion. Our job was to follow the herds. We would take note of their exact GPS location and return the next morning. Wherever the herds were, there was bound to be a causality during the night.

The next morning we would head out around 6 am to search the Mara Plains. We had to find our carcasses fast. The only good time to capture vultures is in the morning. Once the afternoon heat hits, its all over. The birds become stuffed and sluggish, preferring to roost or bask on termite mounds.

Some carcasses were just unusable. Munir actually remembered this particular zebra alive the week prior during a visit to the Mara with his family. It was wandering around alone in this particular area. It is unknown how the zebra actually died.

A perfect carcass is one that is fresh (usually the animal died the night prior) and open, exposing the soft tissue that allows the vultures to feed. Generally when we found our "perfect" carcass, the scavengers already beat us to it. This included the vultures and the Marabou Storks.

We would drive up and the birds would fly away...but never too far. We would set the traps and drive off. In minutes the birds would be back feasting on the carcass. All we would have to do is wait. As mentioned in the documentary, the Peregrine Fund does not allow the filming of their capturing techniques. This is for the sole purpose of protecting the vultures. Six out of the eight species of vultures found in Kenya are endangered or threatened. The last thing they need is people knowing how to catch one.

I would lying if I said we weren't under pressure trying to capture vultures. Dr. Henrik Rasmussen from Savannah Tracking was making the 6 1/2 hour journey from Nairobi to specifically put a GSM-GPS unit on a vulture for tracking purposes. We had to successfully capture a vulture. Munir told me we weren't stopping for anything. Sure enough as Murphy's Law would have it, we ran into elephants! These were the first wild elephants I'd seen since January. Apparently the elephants don't care much for the wildebeest herds; they avoid them at all costs. So wherever you find the herds you can assume the elephants will be at the opposite end of the park! We were lucky to find them. I have to also give Munir credit for breaking his rule to stop so I could film!

Murphy's Law worked its magic again! On our way to the southern end of the Masai Mara near Lookout Hill we came across a cheetah family! It was a mother with four cubs. We'd seen this family the day prior; although they were swarmed with tourists! This time around it was just us. I couldn't believe it. I will never forget Munir telling me the best wildlife sightings are the ones you just "stumble upon." He was right.

Special Note: The cheetah family was filmed and will be documented along with other African wildlife in the upcoming documentaries "This is Africa" due late spring. The documentaries will focus exclusively on the other animals we came upon during the time spent searching for vultures.

Minutes after our cheetah family encounter I spotted something jumping in the grass far off in the distance. I couldn't believe it! It was a serval with kittens! I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would ever see one of these small cats in the wild. Servals have excellent camouflage and generally hide in the long grass.

One of the biggest jokes on the trip was how bad my vision was. The "birds" or "carcasses" I had thought I'd seen usually turned out to be logs or rocks. You can imagine my excitement when I saw a large, dark blob in the grass. I had discovered a very fresh wildebeest carcass! At first we were hesitant to get out of the car. It was that fresh. After we checked the eyes to make sure the wildebeest was indeed dead, I was able to get an intro shot seen in the documentary. In the end we never even used this wildebeest to capture vultures. Willard had just died and his thick hide was impenetrable to both us and the vultures. Luckily a few hundred yards away we found another carcass that had been mutilated by hyenas. Chewed off feet and missing parts of the hide all give the indication this wildebeest was eaten by hyenas. Vultures were already feeding on the carcass. The setting was perfect. We set the traps and waited...

Success! We managed to capture three birds; one Rüppell's Vulture and two White-backed Vultures. We decided to put the GPS-GSM transmitter on the Rüppell's (which I nicknamed "Rupi").

We were now able to successfully track Rupi's movements. As it turned out, Rupi ended up following the wildebeest herds back to the Serengeti in Tanzania. Not only is this great data, but it also supports Munir's research on their large home ranges, proving that we need to protect these birds even outside of reserves like the Masai Mara.

Welcome Spring

There is just something incredible about that first, nice warm day after a cool winter. I don't know if it's the feeling of relief or the warm sun; whatever the case, I can assure you that the animals and I are ready for the upcoming warm weather! (As evident in Soni's picture above.) During these new sunny days the animals now have access to their outdoor habitats, enjoying all the elements that spring has to offer...Oh, and I'm able to accomplish a few personal goals myself!

Out of all the animals I believe our 15 Sulcata Tortoises appreciate spring the most. It's a time when they can enjoy the fresh wild grasses that surround our property and bask in the sun. Another exciting addition this year is going to be their brand-new habitat, which will offer more space for our growing tortoises!

I can't forget to mention their mother Tinkerbelle! She was the first tortoise out this year grazing away. What's nice about the adult tortoise exhibit is the ability for them to decide when they want to go outside and when they want to stay inside their nice heated house.

This also happens to be Winslow's first Spring! If you follow me on Instagram @corbinmaxey then you probably already know who he is. For those of you who don't, Winslow is our pet cow. Yes, I said it. We have a pet cow.

Spring also marked the start of editing/producing the Africa footage! We have two documentaries in the works; "Through the Eyes of a Vulture" and "This is Africa", a behind-scenes-look at my adventure assisting Dr. Munir Virani on vulture captures. Both projects are due out late spring.

This was a personal goal I just completed; hiking the tall bluff located across the river. For years I've stared at it wondering what in the world was on top. I finally was able to see for myself. I hate to report it wasn't much... But the view was incredible. I could have stayed on what seemed to be a very unstable rock for hours looking at the river. It's so surreal sometimes living out here in such an incredible place. I always joke the animals living on riverfront property have better views than most people in town! I'm thrilled for the upcoming months. New projects, appearances, and animal exhibits will soon to take flight. 2014 has just begun...