Appearing at the Co-op insurance stand at the Family Pet Show 2017
He's the Bearded Animal Enthusiast!
The Northwest's BIGGEST Nerd!
Bond with him over Critters or Comics!
Just look for the dude in the Hawaiian shirt!
Safari Phil’s mission in life is to get everyone
he meets as excited about animals as he is!
He firmly believes that by introducing the
public to these amazing creatures, and have them interact in a way they’ve never had the chance to before, will help them better understand the animal, and appreciate every Critters essential role in the natural world.
Safari Phil has been fascinated by Critters of ALL kinds ever since he was a young child.
One of his mother's fondest memories, is of
her walking into the living room to find him imitating a crocodile ‘death roll’ on the floor
at the tender age of three.
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He cared for all the usual ‘normal’ pets throughout his early childhood; dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, fish, hamsters, newts etc… Finally at the age of 12 he embraced the wild world of exotics with his first lizard, at 15 his first tarantula, and it’s snowballed ever since.
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Over the past 20 years he has kept,
cared for, and studied, hundreds of different species including various species of snakes, tortoises, beetles, millipedes, snails, slugs, hedgehogs, ferrets, scorpions, and many
more lizards & tarantulas. He has also
been very fortunate in working with sharks, wallabies, owls, sea turtles, civets, genets, hedgehogs (both domestic & pygmy) and one of his favourite, and one of the world's most intelligent Critters, the octopus!
When he’s not busy with the Critters, he can usually be found with his head buried in some kind of book, exploring his love of science…
and of comic books.
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He uses this nerdy knowledge to help relate complicated scientific ideas to children and adults alike. By talking about well known characters, such as Wolverine, Safari Phil
can help explain the topic of limb
regeneration in certain species of lizards.
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He introduces a strange species of arachnid
by calling upon the popular Harry Potter franchise, or by talking about why the
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are so very different from their cousin, the tortoise.
By drawing references from popular culture, in his unique ‘Safari Phil style’, he makes difficult subjects both relatable and fun!
Safari Phil wasn’t just a science geek growing up, with his need to perform also taking him to the stage. Not content with just performing in several classical productions, he also wrote, directed and produced several of his own plays. It was these experiences that led to him winning “The Albert Finney Award” for Performance Excellence, and experimenting a little with film production too. (So you know you’re in for a great show!)
His wealth of experience is not just limited to the Critters he keeps. Safari Phil has previously worked in the exotic pet trade, as well as a large animal attraction, and a higher education institute. Giving him fascinating insights into not just the animals, but in engaging the public on such hot topics as Animal Care, Captive Breeding Programmes, Evolution, and Climate Change.
