A man like Jim Fowler isn't just born, he's made. Fowler was a prominent zoologist and one of the hosts of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. The series showcased various animals, with Fowler taking a front row seat when examining some of these critters.

Fowler revealed that his love for the wilderness began at an early age, growing up as a young boy in the South.

"I think one of the reasons I became interested in working in the outdoors is that I grew up in Georgia," said Fowler in an interview with Newsday. "My father used to take me and my brother through the wetlands, swamps, and forests and point out everything to us. I grew up with a sense of adventure for the outdoors."

Watch Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom on MeTV!

Starting Sunday, July 6!

Sundays at 7 AM

*available in most MeTV markets

As Fowler pursued a career working with wild animals, he grew more accustomed to it, turning the wild into something far more familiar.

"I guess all humans are programmed to do something," said Foleer during an interview with the Journal Gazette and Times-Courier. "As a kid, I was taught to appreciate the outdoors. Once you start seeking knowledge, and the more you get involved, the more you get into it."

The more Fowler matured, the more he was able to truly understand the beauty and majesty of nature.

"For me, the thrill of wildness used to lie in its mystery," said the zoologist. "Now, I am equally enthralled by the complexities of wildness and by the ways in which humans are an intricate piece of the puzzle...Now, attention to the world's wilderness centers on the question of whether or not it can be saved."