- Jim Fowler, a zoologist best known for hosting Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, has died.
- Fowler won four Emmy awards and found cross-over success as a wildlife correspondent for the ‘Today’ show and a frequent guest of Johnny Carson’s ‘Tonight’ show
- After Wild Kingdom ended in 1988, Fowler continued his conservation education work, winning a number of accolades for his efforts.
Jim Fowler, a zoologist best known for hosting Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom TV show, has died. He was 89.
Fowler’s TV career began in 1963 as co-host of Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins. He won four Emmy awards and found cross-over success as a wildlife correspondent for the ‘Today’ show and a frequent guest of Johnny Carson’s ‘Tonight’ show, appearing in dozens of episodes of the latter.
After Wild Kingdom ended in 1988, Fowler continued his conservation education work, winning a number of accolades, including the Environmental Media Association’s Lifetime Achievement award in 1998 and the Lindbergh Award in 2003.
Fowler often advocated for greater protection of wildlife and wilderness:
“Almost all of the social tragedies occurring around the world today are caused by ignoring the basic biological laws of nature,” he was quoted as saying by the Lindbergh Foundation. “The quicker we humans learn that saving open space and wildlife is critical to our welfare and quality of life, maybe we’ll start thinking of doing something about it.”
A cause of death was not immediately released.
