Jeff Corwin's Southern Wild
Premiere Date: October 3, 2026
Filmed across North Carolina, Jeff Corwin’s Southern Wild follows Corwin from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic coast as he explores the wildlife, wild places, and passionate people that make the Tar Heel State one of the country’s most remarkable natural environments. Along the way, Corwin will search for bats and salamanders, encounter black bears, alligators, and sea turtles, snorkel waterways in exploration of native fish, and take viewers inside wildlife rescue and conservation efforts happening in real-time.
Joining Corwin in the field are scientists, wildlife experts, and conservationists, as well as Lees-McRae College students, educators and alumni, whose hands-on work in wildlife biology, rehabilitation, and conservation offers a window into how the next generation of environmental leaders is being prepared.
Behind the Scenes
Students, alumni, and faculty members from some of the college’s flagship programs are featured in the show. Get an inside look at the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center with the Wildlife Rehabilitation program, explore the Elk Valley Preserve with Wildlife Biology students, and hit the slopes of Beech Mountain with representatives from the Outdoor Recreation Management major and Ski Industry Business and Instruction minor.
These academic programs exemplify the college’s commitment to experiential learning and fostering professional skills. Students get outside of the traditional classroom setting, working alongside industry professionals to develop hands-on skills, build confidence , and ultimately become better prepared for their post-graduate careers.
Q&A Panel
Ahead of the nationwide premiere, the college invited Lees-McRae students, employees, friends, and the local Banner Elk community to a special event featuring an early screening of the first episode, followed by a Q&A session. The Q&A panel included Corwin, President Lee King, Executive Producer at Hearst Media Production Group Sarah Arnoff, and two Lees-McRae students who appear in the show, Wildlife Biology majors Destiny Lepera and Emma Anundi-Boland.
Anundi-Boland appears in the first episode of the show, where she introduces Corwin to Chester, a flying squirrel who, after initially needing treatment for a cat attack, became an animal ambassador and full-time resident at the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. In episode three, Corwin joins Lepera on the North Carolina coast where she completed an internship rehabilitating injured turtles at Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Center in Surf City.
Conservation Heroes
As president and CEO of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, much of Jesse Pope's work focuses on protecting and conserving the remarkable biological diversity on the mountain.
Pope, a Lees-McRae alum from the class of 2002, appears in the first episode of "Jeff Corwin's Southern Wild" this Saturday (10/3) to discuss one such remarkable creature: synchronous fireflies.
