CHRIS’ ANIMAL HOUSE
It’s am ad and crazy life for this zoologist and his 2000 pets!
There’s a new reality TV family in town, so move over, Kardashians! While Kim’s clan is famous for their catty behaviour, this new series has literal catfights. Australian zoologist Chris Humfrey lives with his wife, two girls and around 2000 creatures. From cats and dogs to snakes and crocs, he has it all! Woman’s Day catches up with the animal guru to chat about his wild new show.
Do you really have 2000 pets?
Give or take a couple. It’s an incredibly blessed life, but it’s also an incredibly manic, crazy life. It’s an amazing place to live and learn about animals. You learn more than you do at university or looking at a textbook.
How much work is it having all those animals?
It’s a 24/7 job – it’s like running a hotel or a holiday resort for creatures. Every animal’s on a different diet and has different needs. Lots of the animals are nocturnal and come out at night-time, so you don’t get a lot of sleep. You get a few hours, a bit of a catnap, but usually something wanders into your room at night and jumps on our face or cuddles up under the duvet cover.
Where did your love of animals begin?
My first memory of life was seeing a seal on the side of a ferry when I was in a pram! Then at three-and-a-half years of age, I found a frog in the public bathroom at the beach. And I’ve still got him now – he’s my oldest friend in the whole world.
When I was a kid, I grew up in a typical suburban backyard and I turned it into a zoo. Mum and Dad were very, very understanding parents. I had lizard enclosures, snake enclosures, everything! My dad actually had a fear of snakes – he was petrified of them – but he slowly changed his view of the natural world.
Where did the idea for the show come from?
It’s basically been in evolution over the past 43 years of my life. I’ve always been passionate about creatures, and I think it’s great to have animals living with me and my kids in my house. I’ve enjoyed making this show so much!
It really is a legacy to Mum, who’s losing her eyesight and going blind. She helped me out so much during my life. Mum will lose her eyesight in about the next six months, so this is my gift to my mum and dad. They were the best parents – they let me be crazy and passionate, and chase my love for animals. I love Mum so much and this is a great one for her!
Why do you think people should tune in?
It’s fantastic, family-friendly and everyone can sit around at night to watch it together. It’s such an entertaining show and people will learn so much without even realising it. There are a couple of dad jokes in there, a bit of dancing and poetry, but also good, core messages about conservation and how we need to change our ways or else it’s going to be too late for many of our animal friends.