Jack Hanna films 'Wild' show in Bigfork

Jack Hanna, the wildlife enthusiast who made a name for himself by introducing the world to exotic animals on television, is turning his career in a more family-oriented direction, and hoping that viewers of his show "Jack Hanna's Into the Wild" will follow his example.

Previous shows that Hanna has done have taken him to exotic places to investigate unusual animals, but "Into the Wild" is different.

"It's just me being me with my family," Hanna said. "It's showing that anyone can do these things. Anyone can take their family to these places."

Guy Nickerson, president of the Florida company, Spectrum Productions, that produces the show agreed, while holding one of his own children that was visiting during Friday's taping at Hanna's 20-acre ranch near Woods Bay.

"Viewers don't always realize they can do this kind of stuff right in their own backyard," Nickerson said.

Hanna has been filming episodes of his show around the Flathead Valley over the last week. Two of his three daughters and their children have been visiting him this summer and enjoying some of his on and off camera animal excursions. So far the Hannas have gone on a horseback ride with Flathead Lake Lodge to view elk, visited the Horse Heaven Ranch in Polson which rescues abused and abandoned horses and traveled to Glacier National Park, which Jack calls one of the wonders of the world.

In all, they will shoot for 12 days in Montana and Canada for seven half-hour episodes of the television show, which tells stories of animals and people who dedicate their lives to helping them, that will begin airing in October.

"'Into the Wild' is a more personal show than the others that I've done," Jack said. "It is more family-oriented. In today's world we need more of that. I'm the first to admit that I didn't used to spend enough time with my family."

Jack's wife, Suzi, is his co-host for the show, a role she didn't used to have in Jack's more international adventuring days.

"I feel extremely blessed because I get to go to all of these places and do all of these things with Jack," Suzi said. "I never got to experience a lot of what was going on before. It was sort of like I was traveling the world by myself. Jack would be with the film crew and I would be in a separate vehicle and just sort of trail behind. It's so much better to be able to share the experiences with the person you love."

Whether filming for his show or working with the media, Jack is now sure to include all of his family.

"When you get older you realize that your years are numbered," said the 62-year-old. "I only have so much more time left with my wife and I only get to see my children and grandchildren so often because they are so spread out. I want to spend time with them while I can and I want them to be exposed to all of this so they can continue to spread the word about conservation."

Conservation is the Hanna family's ultimate goal. Jack shared that one of his guiding mantras is "touch the heart and teach the mind," which is a phrase he got from a friend who recently died, adding that you have to love something to save it.

"If we can't conserve what we eat, what we drink and where we live then where are we going?" Jack asked.

Jack helped to establish the zoo in Columbus, Ohio and took on the role as director, which led to him hosting a show called "Hanna's Ark" in the early 1980s. He then became a repeat guest on "Good Morning America and "Late Night With David Letterman" always bringing along exotic animals to show off to the audience. He hosted "Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures' for over a decade, but a few years ago decided he wanted to create a show that he owned and had full control of, which became "Jack Hanna's Into the Wild." The first episode won a 2008 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Children's series. The show is sponsored by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium where Jack has served as the director emeritus since 1992 when his busy schedule required him to relinquish some of his responsibilities.

The Hannas' main home is in Columbus. They also have a home in Rwanda at the base of a hill where a rare population of mountain gorillas live, and they operate an orphanage nearby. They get to spend the summer months in Bigfork and return for a couple weeks each year at Christmas.

Although his time is limited in the Valley now, Jack said that he would like to live in Bigfork full-time one day.

"I've had my place here a long time, but I've only seen about 10 percent of Montana," Jack said. "I want to see Montana and I want to base it out of Bigfork."

Like so many that visit Montana, Jack gets swept away as soon as he arrives at Glacier International Airport.

"When I get off the plane it's like I become another person," Jack said. "It's relaxing even though I have all the work I'm doing."

And make no mistake, Jack is always working. He is not just the guy in front of the camera reading off cue cards and following directions.

"I never dreamed that our lives would end up like this," Suzi said.