Jack Hanna to bring furry friends to Sun Dome

TV personality and wildlife expert Jack Hanna will have a bearcat, sloth, Serval cat, pythons, birds of prey and an assortment of other exotic animals with him tonight at the USF Sun Dome.

Along with the animals, he’ll bring a message about the protection of endangered species and wildlife conservation.

Hanna – known for his regular appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman and as the host of Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures – will also feature clips from TV segments about mountain gorillas in Rwanda, a baby rhino in Africa and a baby bear in New Mexico.

The show, sponsored by the University Lecture Series, begins at 7 p.m. in the Sun

Dome Corral.

Hanna said of the 50 to 100 shows he does a year, none are ever quite the same.

“I don’t really have everything planned out for the shows I do,” Hanna said. “I let the audience’s response and questions help direct the show.”

Tonight, Hanna said he’ll begin the show out in the audience, and from there will intersperse showing the animals with clips from the TV shows and questions from the crowd.

“It’s a fun show,” Hannah said. “We try to have a little something for everyone.”

Hanna also said his shows for university audiences have more emphasis on endangered animals and species extinction.

Hanna has close ties to the Tampa Bay area. He said he used to own a home on Sand Key Beach in Clearwater. He also serves as the Board Member Director Emeritus on the Board of Directors for Sea World and Busch Garden’s Conservation Fund.

Hanna makes multiple appearances at both theme parks yearly, including those he makes as spokesman of the parks’ Adventure Camps, which provide children with hands-on training in animal care.