Nicole & Chris Humfrey's Wild Life DVD Interview

Nicole Humfrey Chris Humfrey's Wild Life DVD Interview

Cast: Nicole Humfrey, Chris Humfrey and their two daughters
Genre: TV Documentary
Rated: PG
Running Time: 13 episodes - approx. 25 minutes in length

Universal Pictures Australia, in conjunction with ABC1 are pleased to announce the DVD release of the new documentary series, Chris Humfrey's Wild Life.

Meet Chris Humfrey, a zoologist who lives with his young family and their REALLY big dog in an idyllic bush haven. But the Humfreys also share their home with a few other pets - more than 2000 and each one of them needs care and attention 24/7. In Chris Humfrey's Wild Life, viewers can expect an unscripted half-hour 'docu-soap' animal series located in the sprawling bush-land zoo the Humfreys call home in Macedon in Victoria.

But family life, work life and wild life don't always fit neatly together…

New sagas unfold every day at the zoo. In between training staff and taking calls, Chris figures out what to do with a giant python with a back problem or cares for baby owl masked chicks. He struggles to breed new animals and always delights in seeing new life - even if it means bottle-feeding baby wallabies in the middle of the night.

Just when Chris and Nicole think that things are running smoothly, something wildly unpredictable always surprises them. One of his presenters loses a large snake in an inner city residential area; a door carelessly left open results in the office being over run by thousands of stick insects; tragedy strikes when feral foxes attack in the middle of the night.

Chris Humfrey's Wild Life will delight the whole family, taking viewers on a journey while educating kids on the intriguing and wonderful world of Australia's native fauna. Follow Chris, Nicole and their two daughters in this chaotic, 13-episode animal-crazy series that captures the drama, the danger, the animal antics and the sheer exhilaration of Chris Humfrey's Wild Life.

Special Features:
Volume 1:
Chiropractor Treats Koalas
Chris Feeds Pinky Joey
Chris Does a Wild Action Show
Delivery of New Insects
Dingo Test
Force Feeding a Woma Python

Volume 2:
Nymboida Spotlighting
Sexing A Bettong
Staff Night
Velvet Geckos Hatched
Zoo At Night

Chris Humfrey's Wild Life
RRP: $19.95
Boxset (Volume 1 and 2) RRP: $29.95

Interview with Nicole Humfrey

Question: How would you describe the show, Chris Humfrey's Wild Life?

Nicole Humfrey: It's a wild manic ride showing the 'day in the life' of the Humfrey family.
There is drama, tears, heart-ache, excitement and laughter... usually revolving around (you guessed it) animals! It's a show that focuses on Chris' passion for wild life, and his incessant curiosity to discover and learn more.


Question: Where did the idea for Chris Humfrey's Wild Life come from?

Nicole Humfrey: We had a low budget for the first series. We couldn't travel around the world or anything extravagant like that, so we had a bit of a brain storming session. Whilst we were doing this, we were amazed by how many interruptions we had by staff having issues with an animal, an animal giving birth, a staff member getting caught in a lift with a wombat, possums fighting, a koala that's gone off his food etc. We just looked at each other and figured that what was going on around us was a show in itself.


Question: What is a typical day like, in your life?

Nicole Humfrey: It begins with a 60 minute training session. I need to keep fit in order to keep up with Chris. This is followed by making school and kinder lunches for Charli-Ashe and Taasha. Breakfast is always interesting and often shared with a dingo puppy, joey kangaroo or squirrel glider, depending on what we are hand-rearing at the time. The joey's go wild over Taasha's Weet Bix. Once the girls and animals have had their breakfast, it is time to drive them to school and kinder. It is then back to our property for 'round two' at the zoo!


Question: On any given day, how many pets do you have in your home?

Nicole Humfrey: At the moment we have about 2,000 animals on the property. Actually inside our house we have nine cichlids, two baby fruit bats, four ring tail possums, 100 stick insects, one baby squirrel glider, ten green treefrogs, six baby stumpy tail lizards, two ridge-tail monitors, ten baby bearded-dragons, two adult bearded dragons, one legless lizard, three black-headed pythons, threebehemoth scrub pythons (which get out occasionally), four woma pythons, and a 70kg newfoundland dog. The girls share their vegie garden and swing set with two fairy penguins, a hairy-nosed wombat, three western grey kangaroos and two tamar wallabies. I am really looking forward to our new house being finished (next door) as Chris promises me that we will not be taking any animals with us. I am not so sure?


Question: What can viewers expect from Volume 1 and 2 of Chris Humfrey's Wild Life?

Nicole Humfrey: I hope that viewers develop a greater appreciation for the natural beauty and wildlife of our country Australia. We should be so proud about where we live. I want people to get out and explore, and share their experiences with their family and friends. I also hope that people learn to follow and grow in what they are passionate in. Follow your dreams!


Question: How important is it to educate your two children on the intriguing and wonderful world of Australia's native fauna?

Nicole Humfrey: I think it is extremely important, and something that I missed out on as a child. My foray into the animal kingdom prior to meeting Chris was two goldfish, four guinea pigs and a Pomeranian dog called "Kahlua". Charlie-Ashe and Taasha love being outdoors and this is keeping them fit and healthy. Charlie-Ashe is horrified when she sees rubbish on the ground, even trying to pick it up. We have so many wonderful family memories together, most of them are looking and wildlife, and travelling to unique and bizarre places.


Question: What have you learnt from working with your family on this show?

Nicole Humfrey: I have come to realise just how lucky we all are. It is very hard work, but also extremely rewarding. It is a privilege to be able to interact and care for such amazing animals. I am so very proud of Charlie-Ashe and Taasha. It is not a normal life, but then we wouldn't swap it for the world!


Question: Who do you believe would enjoy this show?

Nicole Humfrey: The most amazing thing about animals is that they traverse all age boundaries. It thrills me to see the reactions of 2 year olds at child care centres, primary school, high school and university students, alongside adults at corporate functions and the elderly at nursing homes all getting something out of our beautiful wildlife. I truly believe that Chris Humphreys' wildlife has something in it for all of us - after all we are animals too!

Question: Are you working on a third series of Chris Humfrey's Wild Life?

Nicole Humfrey: Not sure if I've got the energy. Mmmmm, let me think about that one!


Interview by Brooke Hunter