Exploring the Wild Kingdom (2008)

"Exploring the Wild Kingdom" explores the evolution of the program as well as Meier's broadcast production skills and his instinct to continually reinvent "Wild Kingdom." It also looks at the physical and technical challenges Meier faced as he traveled around the world to produce the program. "Wild Kingdom" brought animals from lush jungles, scorching deserts and icy arctic areas to televisions across the United States. The program captured unpredictable wildlife encounters - from charging elephants and baby lions to 200-pound snakes. It pioneered the use of color film and sound technology that brought animals from across the globe to televisions across the United States. "Wild Kingdom" host Marlin Perkins, director of the St. Louis Zoo at the time, was paired with younger hosts who wrestled alligators and dodged venomous snakes while he talked about wildlife in ways his audience could understand. The documentary "Exploring the Wild Kingdom" was co-produced in 2013 by Bernard McCoy, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications and Nebraska Public Media.