My Top 5 Animal Loving Role Modelsby Courtney Mroch | More from this Blogger 20 Nov 2007 08:51 AM For National Inspirational Role Model Month (which November is) over in Marriage I wrote about my favorite TV wives as role models from the 1950s thru the 1970s and 1980s thru the present. Here in Pets I'd like to do something similar: list those people involved with animals who influenced me to love and care for them like I do. 1. My dad, Ralph Mroch: My dad's got to have one of the most tender hearts towards animals of anyone in my family. As I wrote about in Where My Compassion for Animals Comes From, I get my love of animals directly from him. Maybe through my genes, but also because of the lessons he inadvertently taught me through his actions. 2. Marlin Perkins: As a kid I was fascinated with Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. If it had been on for hours, I would have watched it. It was perhaps one of the only shows I'd sit completely still for the whole way through. I loved Marlin Perkins' voice. It was the perfect compliment to the action on the screen. 3. Tarzan: Another favorite TV show as a kid was the reruns of the 1960s Tarzan series. I spent hours on the back porch yodeling my imitation of the famous Tarzan cry. I was convinced if I practiced hard (and loud) enough I'd be like Tarzan and able to communicate with the animals and summon them to me when I was in trouble. Except, I never could figure out why it always drove Mackie away instead of to me... 4. Jacques Cousteau: In another article (see In Memoriam: Jacques Cousteau) I paid homage to this conservationist the TV also introduced me to. Commander Cousteau's dedication to and passion for the seas and sea life inspired people of like ilk (for instance Steve Irwin) to follow in his footsteps. He made information entertaining and in the process educated millions about the plight of many endangered animals we share this planet with while encouraging us to curb our actions to help them. 5. Jane Goodall: I'll never forget the first time I learned about Jane Goodall. I was awestruck. What an amazing woman to venture all alone into the jungle to study chimpanzees --her way, not adhering to strict traditional methods. Which ended up revolutionizing field research and netted her a wealth of information about chimps no one had ever gleaned or suspected before. She was a pioneer, a renegade, but most of all she became deeply committed to caring for and improving the lives of chimpanzees. I think she's nothing short of remarkable. Question to Readers Who are your role models? Related Articles Creating the Next Generation of Crocodile Hunters Crocodile Hunter's Legacy Lives On Learn more about Courtney Mroch  Courtney Mroch is a wife, a proud pet parent, and a writer. She's been with her husband, high school sweetheart Wayne Pryor, over 20 years, married 11 of those. She's "mom" to Mr. Meow, a.k. Relevantpets tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags jacques cousteau, Jane Goodall, Marlin Perkins, role models, tarzan Discuss this article
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