You Never Know Who You'll Meet En Route

It was two years ago- in the summer of '07 - while en route to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro that I ran into some new friends. While standing to check into our flight heading from London to Ethiopia's capital city- Addis Ababa, I couldn't help but wonder just how I knew the guy standing beside me. And than it clicked- it was TV host an animal expert Jack Hanna, who you'll know from his regular appearances on David Letterman, Ellen and his Emmy winning show "Into the Wild." Hanna and his wife Suzi were traveling to Rawanda to produce a documentary with Natalie Portman on the famed Silverback Gorilla's.

With our flight cancelled and our schedule's delayed Jack, Suzi, myself and my travel mates Sue Lambert and Colin Herbert had the chance to share some laughs and time while traveling south to our destinations.

We stayed in touch and that meet and greet turned into some additional adventures. Over the next year and a half I worked with Travel Alberta and a host of folks who helped to produce a stellar road trip featuring some of the best of the best of what this Province has to offer in terms of wildlife. It was just through August Jack, Suzi and the team from Spectrum Productions traveled together through Alberta, Canada filming episodes for upcoming episodes of Into the Wild.

And I joined them.

Follow along through these daily dispatches as we cover some of this province's top adventures.

For more on Alberta and all is adventures check out Travel Alberta's website

A History with Critters

It was at 11 years of age that Hanna discovered his passion. Cleaning out cages at his local zoo in his native state of Tennessee, little did America's most famous zoo keeper know that the work on the number two’s was going to take him so far. Fast forward to today and now his passion for animals, their education and conservation has taken him around the world and develop a TV career delivering his message to millions weekly around the world. It was in 1985 that David Letterman first invited him on set, which opened up the door for a TV series of his own- Zoo Life with Jack Hanna and than into Animal Adventures (now in cydication with re-runs running seen in 40 countries). It’s his latest work he’s now most proud of with, Spectrum Production’s Into the Wild winner of a Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Series (2008).

The purpose of his time in Alberta was for him and his crew to shoot three episodes for upcoming episodes of Into the Wild

The Calgary Zoo's Red Carpet Reception

The last time 'Jungle Jack', Hanna's long time aka, visited the Calgary Zoo was in 1995. So he was excited to get back, and what he experienced floored him as we stopped in to check things out as part of his eight day tour through Alberta.

Hanna's has been to a few zoo's in his day- not only does he produce 36 shows in a year – but zoo's are his business. As Director Emeritus of the Ohio’s Columbus Zoo, he’s been a major force to its substantial success. He’s done more than well with it, taking it from an 100 acre facility to a 600 acre park dedicated to education and conservation, recently named America’s #1 Zoo.

I caught up with the crew on day two of their travels shooting show's for an upcoming episodes of Into the Wild. The first stop was Waterton Lakes National Park- A Unesco World Heritage Site. "Waterton is like something out of a picture book, it is beautiful. One of the only places like this in the world, there are only a handful of other places, such as Switzerland that are this beautiful," said Hanna. The crew from Spectrum Production's, Hanna's team who have produced Into the Wild for the past three years, were happy with the footage they captured for upcoming episodes.

Hanna was excited to get back into the Calgary and experience the zoo. “Zoo’s now are about discovery about education, you can’t have conservation if there is no education,” said Hanna, a major proponent of animal conservation and any efforts help the animal kingdom.

“Its gorgeous, things looks so realistic, its so nice when you feel like you are in a natural environment," said Jack's wife Suzi who co-hosts the show upon arrival to the Canadian Wild's Section of the Calgary Zoo. And she's right, the habitat's that are home to the big horn sheep and mountain goats, really do give you that feel of being in the rockies, complete with local flora and fauna.

This is where our 14 hour day at the zoo got started, a little taste of what us Canadians's know and love – Big Horn Sheep, Grizzlies, Swift fox and owls. The Swift Fox is an amazing success story for the Calgary Zoo, who have helped to re-introduce them to the wild. Head of the Centre for Conservation Research Dr. Axel Moehrenschlager- did his thesis on these animals, at Oxford, and than came to the zoo to head their conservation efforts around it including re-introducing these species to the wild. Dr. Moe played host to Jack and Suzie as they made their way around the zoo.

A date with a painter named Kamala

The man is not in the animal biz for no reason- in travelling with one of the world’s top animal experts you get a sense that animals respond to his very presence. It was early, 6:45am at the Calgary Zoo, and regular David Letterman guest Jack Hanna was prepping for his nation wide appearance on CTV’s Canada AM, in the background was a very sleepy Koala. But when he saw Hanna making his final preparations, just seconds before show time, the Australian bear came to and posed for the camera, right above Jack’s head. This was just the start to a magical behind the scenes day at the zoo, full of laughter and activity amoungst Jack’s film crew here to shoot upcoming episodes of Jack Hanna’s EMMY winning TV series Into the Wild.

For a look at the clip from Canada AM- please click here

We stopped into to film Mountain Goats, Grizzlies, Swift Fox and spent time with owls, giraffes, red pandas, hippos and one of Canada’s most prolific artists. Kamala, the Calgary Zoo’s 22 year old African Elephant has painted over 6,000 pieces of art in support of conservation and improving her environment. As an enrichment project with the animals, she has been painting for over 10 years, but never before had she taken up her craft on an Ostridge egg. Jack and Suzi worked with Kamala, they held ‘em while the elephant got out her brushes and went to work. It’s amazing that her trunk can not only easily hold the brush, but also navigate over the canvas or a surface such as the egg.

The Calgary Zoo is on 100 acres mostly on the island, surrounded by the Bow River. “It’s gorgeous, it’s so nice when you feel like you are in a natural environment,” said Suzi Hanna- Jack’s wife and co-host of the show upon arrive. The Rocky Mountain habitats teleport you 100 km west of Calgary and bring them right into downtown Calgary. “This place is a jewel for Calgary, Alberta and the country of Canada,” said Suzi. “I think the Calgary Zoo is one of the top 20 zoos on our planet,” said Jack.

After a huge day of filming, dinner that night was certainly required and what better a spot to fuel up than on some local fare- from the River Café found on Calgary’s other populated island- Prince’s Island. The River Café has been here for five years and it was to Suzi’s joy when she made the discovery of the local producer’s scrapbook. Much of the Café’s menu items come from local ranchers and farmer’s. It’ll be this October that the Café welcomes back their producers for their annual feast they serve them than. I think I need to go back for another of their mixed berry Danish – this is a stellar spot for dinner.

A Sight for Wide Eyes

What he saw as he walked through the doors floored him. “You walk into this place and you are met by the Red River Hogs, then when I looked across and saw those giraffes, I couldn’t believe it, I thought they were stuffed. Then you look down and see the hippo enclosure, this facility is an impressive sight,” said Columbus Zoo Director of Emeritus Jack Hanna. The Calgary Zoo’s Destination African exhibits are enhanced by the African Savannah, home to this outstanding collection of animals. “Traditionally see these animals in solitary confinement, never all together like this.” The hippos looked so happy you could see them smile. And they sure were thrilled to pose for the cameras with Jack and Suzi.

Remember the game as a kid hungry, hungry hippo?

I'd say they modeled the game after the African and the Nile ones here at the Zoo. With mouths wide open, Dr. Doug Whitehead explained the view of these sizable canines, “their teeth self sharpen. As the teeth come down on each other, they sharpen together, they are like daggers.” It’s why Hippos are one of the most revered in the animal kingdom, while on a canoe in Africa they could chomp right through the boat. But in person they are big and cuddly, you can see here in these photos of Jack and Suzi hanging with the hippos.

The day at the Calgary Zoo continued with a trip to the Gorillas. Check out David Letterman on the 9^th of September, Jack Hanna appears with footage from one of the most funniest occurrences in Jack’s 35 year history in working with animals- certainly the most funniest in his 25 year TV career.

A good night’s stay was had at the Sheraton – located right next to the Eau Clair Market in downtown Calgary, home to regular farmers markets. The Sheraton even have a mascot you can walk. Clarence is a two year old golden retriever who upon request is game for a walk along the Bow River also next to the hotel.

Saddle Up

Look (were you want to go)

Lift (the reigns of the horse)

Push(the opposite direction with your leg)

Point (the reigns in the direction you want your horse to go)

For Jack and Suzi, this was invaluable information. Neither of them were overly fond of horseback riding, Jack particularly after back surgery and Suzi because the last time she created a rodeo. “My horse must have stepped on a bee’s nest cause as we were on the trail, the next thing you know it started to buck and kick, all around these rocks, my guide couldn’t believe I stayed on it,” explained Suzi shortly after arrival to the Homeplace Ranch only 45 mins out of Calgary. It was day four of the crew from Spectrum Production’s Into the Wild and today was a day along the trail of the cowboys. And Jack and Suzi were about to get an Albertan souvenir they weren’t going to expect.

“I had a friend who taught basketball, he never put a player up against an opponent right away. As soon as you bring in the opponent the intensity level goes up. So we put in the wood horse to train guests before we jump in the saddle,” explained Ranch owner and legendary cowboy Mac Makenny.

Jack and Suzi enjoyed their day riding the ridge lines of the area, taking in some scenic sites those including the Canadian Rockies.

“That’s what is neat about this place, there is two hours of preparation involved before you take off on your ride, you get to select, groom and than help saddle up your horse. Normally you just show up and 10 mins later you are off,” said Jack. “Here you get to gain that confidence, you feel prepared and have bonded with your horse. You appreciate the experience that much more because you taken some time with them”, said co-host Suzi. And she continued with, “my favourite thing Mac told us is that you need something to love, you need something to keep it interesting. His calmness really started to get to me.”

This is a stellar spot to saddle up and get weeks worth of riding in, for details click here.

A day at the Wallow

Every tea time it happens- you could almost set your watch to it. It’s so impressive that one of the world’s leading animal experts had never seen anything like it. “We’ll be in the front office and see a shadow and it will be a big bull moose, right out our front door,” says owner operator of the Mount Engadine Lodge Chris Williams. “Getting distracted around here is easy.”

Jack and Suzi love rugged environments, they couldn’t have been more at home at the Engadine Lodge found deep in Kananaskis Country, just out the back of Canmore Alberta. “What we love here in Alberta is the mountains, streams, wildlife and incredible people all in one spot. We are really drawn to rugged environments and than being able to see the wildlife” said Suzi Hanna – the co host for the series, Into the Wild.

For a read of the Craig & Canyon's interview with Jack and Suzi, please click here

They were waiting for us upon arrival. As we pulled up a moose was standing there having lunch. This lodge was built 20 years ago in front of a wallow, a pool of enriched mud that offers up cilium, a nutrient moose need to keep up their bone development. The cilium is sucked up by the plant life and therefore the moose come around here pretty much daily. “A visit here is like a one a day vitamin,” says Williams.

“I have never seen this in my life,” as Jack Hanna said just moments after one mighty moose almost charged directly through the make shift TV set. With Cara Luft on the ‘stage”, the camera’s rolled while the four moose made their way through the valley and around the wallow. Luft strung her guitar and belted out some stellar tunes which will be used in an upcoming episode of Into the Wild. She took a Canadian Juno Award in 2005 with her former band the Wailin’ Jenny’s.

Underground Banff

You’d never know it was even there. Jack and Suzi are big promoters of education and awareness about animals and their preservation. So coming into Banff they were excited to explore a project that has help further wildlife species within the Park. You’d see them as you drive through along the Trans Canada Highway - a series of wildlife passes that have adopted some success. “The over and underpasses work to keep the gene pool active”, says Lorena Dmytriev of Parks Canada. “What you have done here is amazing,” says Jack on their inspection. Suzi headed out on a hunt for tracks of wild species that use this corridor. She found those of a Black Bear. Both the Black Bear and the Cougar like to use the underpasses. Grizzlies and Elk will use the overpasses- they don’t mind being exposed. We all ran up and on top of one of these- you wouldn’t know you were on an overpass…you’d think it would be something else.

It averaged out to be about 200 traffic accidents a year with Elk, since the introduction of these wildlife crossings we’ve seen a 96% reduction in that number.

“It’s the connectivity that maintains the bio diversity.”

A grizzly bear can call up to 450 square km’s home, or it’s “turf”, and so and if you get a highway that dissects the land, than you can separate the gene pool, limiting the species evolution. It keeps the gene pool stronger if there is a larger population to draw from. So the overpass allows for that access and the opportunity to species evolution.

By the time our day was done we were ready to hit the hay at the Rim Rock Resort Hotel – built on the back of the cliff. You walk up to the hotel and are met by a beautiful entrance with a small vertical impact…you walk inside to a 15 floor property with half of it scaling down the side of the valley. Build in with an amphitheatre-esque design affords guests a spectacular view of Mount Rundle and or well into the Bow Valley and over the town of Banff. It was just this year that the hotel won for best “The Canadian Culinary Foundation’s 2009 Pastry Chef of the Year”- of which the crew sure took advantage of over a stellar dinner.

Innisfail Discoveries

Our travels through Alberta shooting episodes for upcoming episodes of Jack Hanna's Into the Wild next took us into Innisfail- in the heart of the province.

Boston Pizza is known for great food, but did you know it was also a great place to meet animal enthusiasts.

“Walking through the doors of BP’s, as it’s commonly known, we discovered Deb Rowland & Doug Bos, owners of the Wilderness Discovery Park in Innisfail AB- about an hour outside of Calgary. “The educational part is outstanding, where else can you get this close and personal with a bear and have the chance to listen and learn about bear safety and education,” said a very enthusiast Jack Hanna about our discovery of the park. “People don’t get it until they see it on TV; they need to see something not in a brochure or a piece of paper. What we need to do is get the Park Service folks up here and construct a video of how to right there,” exclaimed Hanna.

“I feel badly for people when I hear them say they don’t go hiking because they are scared of bears. At a place like this you are able to get educated,” said Suzi Hanna about the daily bear show’s the facility hosts as part of anyone’s day here at the Park.

“You would loose the wonder if you didn’t have creatures like bears and cougars in the wild, they provide an element of excitement. The chance you will see them in very small, but it heightens the experience. You have to make smart choices, like never hiking alone and always making noise,” said Suzi.

This park is home to 13 bears from Grizzly to even black Brown Bears. It’s important to know your bear tips. It comes down to education, and knowing about the animal so you appreciate at it more. "Without there animals in our wildlife, it wouldn’t be wildlife, it would take out some of the wonder," said Suzi. You may recognize the Grizzly in the shot with Jack and Suzi, can be seen in the movie Anchorman with Will Farrow.

A River of Rehab

Have you ever seen a Great Grey Owl? They can stand up to two or three feet tall, but did you know they only weight two to three pounds? It’s mostly made up by an umbrella of feathers. So here at the Medicine River Wildlife Centre, found just outside of Innisfail they take in birds that are damaged by human interactions. Some by cars, others by storms. The crew was here to shoot a part of an upcoming episode of Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild, seen around the world on weekly TV. Jack and his wife Suzi got to participate in a release of two great grey owls. One stuck around and posed for pictures…it just couldn’t find its hand with the pen for autographs. These creature are fascinating, their eyes gripping and hold a stare. The biggest park of releasing them back into the wild, is trying to bring them out for release. Try capturing a 15 pound Bald Eagle that is in the rafters 30 feet over the forest floor.

“Our show is very hand-on, our audience at home can identify with the stories of most of the animals, and these places are always scraping to get by financially and are looking for the attention. It’s more than money than and there are these people who are struggling to keep the place going, we can get up close and personal.”

“Its amazing to be able to see them handled and released while we capture all that on film.” When we film eagles or other birds in the wild, it’s tough to get Jack and the birds in the same shot.” Rick

In the history of the centre they have dealt with over 170 species.

Like the Black Guillemot- a sea bird who got caught up in an airplane hitching a ride out from Newfoundland and into Fort Mac.

A Great Grey Owl own weights two to three pounds- they look huge but are really really light, they are under a huge umbrella of feathers…..

Two owns released- one hit by a car the other got injured in a hail storm. The owls’ really were something, huge birds that have an impressive wing span.

Two weeks ago a major hail storm came through and destroyed the house as well as the vinyl siding. “You can see how that would be damaging to the owl.” The house looked like it had been caught in a tornado- you could have swore the house was from a picture out the wake of Katrina in New Orleans.

Just Like Easter

"If I wasn’t an animal expert, I would have been running around chasing for dinosaur bones,” said a giddy Jack Hanna, who’d adopted the personality of a school boy at Christmas. “I have been to some of the world’s most impressive Valley’s, but never anything like this. Every where you go within 15 feet are more fossils.”Hanna’s right, the Dinosaur Provincial Park is so chocked full, it's one of only 11 Unesco world Heritage Sites in Canada.(5 of which are inAlberta, and the crew visited three).

Found just outside of Brooks Alberta, in the Province's south east corner, we took the day to explore the park and uncover some ancient history.

It’s known all over the world by dino hunters- this Provincial landscape, similar to a mini grand canyons with its hoodoo enhanced architecture, for playing host to the highest concentration of dino bone’s on the planet. Suzi and Jack were out on the hunt with Brad Tucker of the Parks’ Service playing host and ensuring they not get turned around. “It’s very easy to get turned around in the park, so we have some public hikes, but others are with a guide for the day.”

Or you can come out and dig with an team hard at work in the blazing sun. DinosaurProvincialPark is very foreign environment. Desert like conditions meet dino hunters every summer, which bring on some slithering friends. There are four types of snakes which call the park home, including the prairie rattlers, the bow snake and two types of gardner snakes,” explained Tucker.

I remember last year I was on a trip to Writing on Stone- another stellar park in the area. We were en route out of the park when we encountered a rattler on the side of the road- I couldn't believe that our province had snakes this big - what we caught was over 12 feet long. Adam Sutherland is a researcher out of the U of Calgary who is studying the behaviours of snakes and their propensity to road ways. It’s hottest in the summer along the pavement and snakes want to bake in the sun.

When you are there don’t forget to hit up the Patricia Hotel in neighboring Patricia on the way into the park. Even better pitch a tent and find a way into the Patricia Pit, the bar in the basement of the hotel where your served meat on a plate where you can grill it on your own.

Last Stop for Dinos

“In the week that we have been here there has not been one thing that has not amazed me.” Hanna told a packed house at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. “This Province of yours has some fine things too it, I can wait to get my camper and come back up here in the summer.” The Museum is world re-nowed for its efforts.

It was our final stop for what had been a very exciting 1o days. An all out assault on the best of the best for animal opportunities within the province of Alberta. And we finished with a bang, here at the famed museum found in Drumheller.

“This part looks like the entrance into a nightclub in Vegas.” Said Into the Wild's Executive Producer, Guy Nickerson. This museum is a dino-bone amusement park with stunning displays and findings that are still being unearthed right on site. “We get in a collection of dinosaur fossils that are within the Dinosaur Provincial Park where Palaeontologists than had back to the “lab” set up on site at the museum to discover more of what they’ve found," explained our tour guide through the museum.

It was up top and on the roof later that Guy Nickerson weighed in with the success of the eight day shoot. “We through we could get two maybe three, but we captured four if not five shows. They make it easy all we have to do is turn the camera on.” There has to be a little more going into it, your show doesn’t just win an Emmy on one of the world’s most beautiful couples."