What got /an/ interested in wildlife?

The house I originally grew up in was surrounded by a forest and a horse farm and I liked to explore

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>>2184729
When I was younger I read those National geographic kids magazines (back when National Geographic was actually about animal's)

I'm a therian (grizzly bear) so i have always felt a commection to nature

Maybe it was the large aquarium I was taken to as a kid. Of course I was most excited about seeing the piranhas at that time. That was before the internet, so maybe zoos and the like are kind of losing their point now. Of course it's always more impacting to see it in person, but then the animals aren't in their natural environment in a zoo (there's lot of on-demand footage of wild behavior on the 'nets).

Going outside.

>>2184759
Fuck, Me too. I loved that magazine.

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>>2184729
And Marty Stouffer's Wild America.

Got into the hard stuff like David Attenborough later in life.

National Geographic magazine.
Not the kids one, the real one.

I remember having so much fun catching jumping spiders in my yard after reading an article on them.

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Parents bought the box on VHS for me back in the day.

>>2184780
This. I simply can't grasp how some people don't have at least a passing interest in the world around them.

>>2184729
I really don't know. As far as I remember I always watched documentaries on animal planet and discovery channel.

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My Grandpa
he always went fishing/herping with me and explained everything to me I wanted to know when we were out there in the forests/mountains.
we watched literally every nature/animal documentary 100 times
We drove on our highest mountains and hiked further up just because I wanted to see glaciers and a certain color variation of a snake, went to lakes at night to see giant catfish hunt in the shallows and much more

as I grew older, I realized how amazing nature, and the way everything works together is.
I wanted to see so many things, see how they evolved to look how they look right now and how they found their current place in their environment.
And I want to see it in person, not in TV or read it some, hear about it in lectures and stuff.
That's why I spend pretty much most of my money on traveling, plants and my animals.
And I do not regret a fucking cent I spent. Everyday I learn more about the planet we call our home, and sadly, I realize more and more, that I won't be able to show my kids/grandkids many of the things I was shown as a child..

but none the less, thanks, grandpa for showing me the beauty of nature

>>2184729
Dad was a veterinarian, lived next to a forest

Something about the autonomy of the world around me is intriguing at the very least, beautiful too

I'm trying to remember, but I honestly think I was just "born that way". Even my earliest inclinations were towards all things animal related. I feel like most people here are probably like that.

Readings books, going outside, having pets and taking care of livestock, watching nature documentaries and kids' shows that had animals, going to the zoo, etc.

Back when I was little, I had a babysitter who ran a wildlife rehabilitation center. She specialized in birds of prey, but also did all sorts of other birds; songbirds, waterfowl, whether they were injured or came to her as babies. She also did rabbits and squirrels. So many fucking rabbits. Bats, deer, foxes, coyotes, beavers, ground hogs, ferrets (which she kept as pets), muskrats, fishers. She taught me a lot about animals, that sometimes leaving them alone is the best thing we can do (especially wild animals who were scared shitless of people), that we can do everything right and do everything we can, and they may still die, and that we don't need anything in return to do the right thing

Monster Hunter. The notion of using every piece of nature to one's benefit was really fascinating and I began to appreciate wildlife as a precious resource.

The one and true God Steve Or and Zoobooks I didn't buy them but my cousin did and he never bothered with them all in all I think i've always had a fascination with animals

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Just the cute critters running around my neighborhood

like this majestic anal

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>>2185138
>like this majestic anal

hippy mom

I wanted to know which animal was finally going to kill Steve Irwin.

tripping on acid going on trail walks when i was younger

>>2184729
Dinosaurs.

And then it spiraled into an interest of all life forms, past and present.

>>2184729
I'm not really interested in wildlife.

>>2184729

Childhood fascination with bugs in my backyard garden.

That, and National Geographic.

>>2185306
Well ain't you just a big fucking ray of sunshine.

>>2184729
My first memory is being obsessed with grasshoppers. My mom and dad bought me lots of books about insects and rubber insect toys, and it just flourished from there.

>>2185306
This comment is like a stab to the heart of all Australian people.

>>2186338
Why are you here?

I pretty much just came out of the womb obsessed with animals. All things nature are fascinating to me, but animals specifically just make me tick. Nothing happened to me as a child, neither of my parents really like animals at all, I guess I was just born loving them.

Today I have a bazillion pets, and I could sit there for hours watching fish swim around or watch them eat. A lot of people find it so weird, but I just can't get enough. I'm honestly obsessed with animals and always have been.

Not to the point of not functioning in society, of course. I go to college, and have a job with a pretty good group of friends and my girlfriend.

>>2184849
I have far too many friends who have no interest in animals or nature whatsoever because they spent the primary part of their childhood inside playing video games. I simply don't understand it, either.

Literally the only video game franchise I'm into is pokemon, and that's only because the main premise of the games is to catch and learn about cool animals.

>>2186469
>Why are you here?
Doggos

>>2186492
>spent the primary part of their childhood inside playing video games
I spent most of my childhood like this. Being able to go outside and explore was a treat for me though, so maybe that's where the difference is.

>>2184729
I'm autistic. I don't relate with people. I relate with animals.

>>2184729
Animal toys when I was a baby

Daughter is thicc today.
Thought you guys should know.

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>>2186492
Almost all of this is me too (except all my frindships have dried up and of course no gf). Childhood obsessions with exploring outdoors and wildlife have blossomed into life-saving /comfy/ refuges.

>>2184729
Sigourney Weaver

When I was a very little kid my mom watched Gorillas In The Mist.