Jeff Corwin by Jeff Corwin Page A

programming were not around yet. So Jeff watched shows such as Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom . He imagined being a part of these shows, exploring the natural history and life of animals.
    As Jeff grew up, he loved animals more and more. That is why he treasured visits to the country to see his extended family. The Corwins often spent time at the home of Jeff’s relatives in Holbrook, Massachusetts. Holbrook is a much more rural area than Quincy, so it offered Jeff lots of opportunities to explore nature. It was during one of these trips to Holbrook that Jeff had an important life experience—one that would change him forever.
    At the age of six, Jeff was looking through a pile of wood in the yard of his relatives’ house. At the bottom of the woodpile, Jeff spied a coiled-up mass with scales and a flickering tongue. It was a garter snake! Jeff had never seen a snake before. But it was love at first sight. Or, rather, love at first bite.
    The creature slithered farther back into the woodpile, out of Jeff’s sight. Jeff panicked. He worried that he might never see it again. So he frantically searched the woodpile for the snake, and was successful in finding it. But this time, Jeff didn’t want to let the snake get away. So he reached down and grabbed the garter. And the snake grabbed Jeff right back. The snake was afraid, and it bit Jeff on the arm!
    Jeff ran into the house to find the adults. But the garter snake had sunk its teeth into Jeff and was hanging from his arm! Jeff’s parents and relatives were shocked and scared by the sight before them.
    Jeff’s father quickly unclenched the snake’s jaws and pulled it off Jeff’s arm. Jeff’s relative yelled, “Get it out of the house!” But Jeff did not understand what all the fuss was about. He wondered why everyone seemed afraid of the creature. Jeff felt that he had just made an amazing discovery. He did not want the adults to free the snake outdoors. What if he never saw something like it again?
    So Jeff told the adults not to release the garter snake. Everyone looked around, confused. Why would Jeff possibly want to keep a snake ? Jeff replied, “I love it.” Nonetheless, Jeff’s father released the snake in the yard. It needed to go back to its proper home.
    Ever since then, Jeff Corwin has been attached to snakes—though not so literally! After the garter snake bit him, Jeff became obsessed with snakes, turtles, frogs, and other reptiles and amphibians. They were all he wanted to read about. So his mom gave Jeff a book about reptiles so he could learn more.
    Jeff soon wore the book thin from reading it again and again. He even took it to bed with him! Jeff memorized the pages full of information and studied the photographs, dreaming of actually being in the swamps and seeing the animals up close for himself. He knew that for the rest of his life he wanted nothing more than to be around animals—to study them and experience them. His fascination with animals, particularly snakes, earned him the nickname Snake Boy.
    Jeff says that the moment he discovered the garter snake in the woodpile was the moment he became a naturalist. He realized that he enjoyed studying the natural world, especially animals. Jeff often says that if he had pulled apart that woodpile and uncovered a golf club, he might have become Tiger Woods instead!
    The Corwin family also spent a good deal of time visiting Jeff’s grandparents in the town of Middleborough, Massachusetts. Middleborough is located even farther south than Holbrook. And just like Holbrook, Middleborough is a rural area. On these weekend trips to the country, Jeff enjoyed investigating the fields and meadows near his grandparents’ home.
    As he explored, Jeff made it his mission to find another snake. And he did! One day at his grandparents’ house, Jeff discovered another garter slithering around outside. This time, he didn’t grab it. He was excited just to have found another creature like the one that had