{"id":4538,"date":"2026-03-13T18:48:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T18:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/2026\/03\/dr-rae-wynn-grant-mutual-of-omahas-wild-kingdom-protecting-the-wild\/"},"modified":"2026-03-13T18:48:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T18:48:19","slug":"dr-rae-wynn-grant-mutual-of-omahas-wild-kingdom-protecting-the-wild","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/2026\/03\/dr-rae-wynn-grant-mutual-of-omahas-wild-kingdom-protecting-the-wild\/","title":{"rendered":"#MelaninMagicMaker: Dr. Rae Wynn Grant Makes History As First Black Woman To Host Wildlife Series [Exclusive]"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When #MelaninMagicMaker <\/a>Dr. Rae Wynn Grant<\/strong> appears on screen exploring forests, oceans, and remote ecosystems around the world, she is doing more than hosting a television show. She\u2019s redesigning what representation in science and wildlife storytelling can look like.<\/p>\n

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The wildlife ecologist and researcher currently co-hosts Mutual of Omaha\u2019s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild,<\/em> an NBC nature series that has already earned five Emmy nominations and ranks as the number one weekend wildlife show on television. With the role, Wynn Grant made history as the first African American woman to host an original wildlife series.<\/p>\n

For Wynn Grant, the moment was not just professionally significant. It was deeply personal.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOh gosh, it was very profound. It was nothing that hit me lightly. It hit me very, very heavy,\u201d said Wynn Grant. \u201cMostly because I used to watch the show as a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The iconic nature program originally debuted decades ago, but the scientist says the series was part of the television landscape that shaped her childhood curiosity about wildlife.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI used to watch the show and I used to dream about being one of the guys that I saw on TV,\u201d she explained. \u201cI wanted to be a nature show host because of shows like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

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From Childhood Dreams To Wildlife Ecologist<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Although Wynn Grant imagined herself on television early on, her path to becoming a host took a scientific route. She pursued wildlife ecology, studying how human activity influences the behavior and survival of large carnivores like black bears and mountain lions.<\/p>\n

In fact, she never formally auditioned for the role at all.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI did not audition. I didn\u2019t apply to be the host,\u201d Wynn Grant said. \u201cI was doing my work as a wildlife ecologist. I was doing as much media as I could, and I got noticed by Wild Kingdom and invited to be a part of the show.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The opportunity made history.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI knew I didn\u2019t have to Google it or look around to know that I was the first Black woman to have a position like this, that I was making history, that Wild Kingdom was making history,\u201d she said. \u201cIt has been not just a dream come true, but a very important, significant moment for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Showing The Science Behind Wildlife Television<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While many wildlife shows focus on dramatic encounters with animals, Protecting the Wild highlights conservation work and the people behind it.<\/p>\n

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Wynn Grant says that distinction was intentional.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of wildlife content on TV right now that is just sensational,\u201d she explained. \u201cLike can I wrestle this alligator? Can I get bitten by this crazy insect?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Instead, the NBC series centers on the scientists and conservationists working to protect endangered species and fragile ecosystems.<\/p>\n

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\u201cFor us, we\u2019re showing wild animals and wild places, but also the people who are designing science projects to protect them, to keep them from going extinct,\u201d she said. \u201cWe get the wildlife, the people, the projects, and the success all in one episode.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The approach also gives viewers insight into the many career paths available in conservation.<\/p>\n

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\u201cPeople are learning not only about this cool animal like a polar bear or a beluga whale, but also what careers are out there,\u201d Wynn Grant said. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be a scientist like me. There are so many options.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Breaking The Myth That Black People Do Not Belong Outdoors<\/strong><\/h3>\n

For Wynn Grant, representation within conservation is another mission that runs parallel to her scientific work.<\/p>\n

She says one of the biggest misconceptions she still encounters is the idea that Black people not belonging in wildlife spaces.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019ll even get social media comments where people say this is some white people foolishness,\u201d she said, referencing reactions to visuals of her work.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In reality, she says, the field already includes many Black scientists and environmental advocates whose work often goes unseen.<\/p>\n

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\u201cA lot of my best friends are Black female wildlife ecologists,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are a bit invisible, but we exist. We are present. We are this silent army of people saving the planet out there every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Life In The Field And At Home<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Wynn Grant\u2019s work also takes her into the wilderness for weeks at a time. During certain seasons, her fieldwork includes crawling into bear dens to examine newborn cubs.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAt the end of February or the beginning of March is when female black bears give birth while they are hibernating,\u201d she explained. \u201cWildlife ecologists like myself actually do checkups on female bears and their cubs while they hibernate.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

That means long days spent deep in forests documenting wildlife behavior before returning home to a completely different role.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI like to tell people I have a double life,\u201d she said. \u201cSometimes I\u2019m away for four or five or six weeks in the wilderness. Then I come home and I\u2019m a wife and a mom.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The scientist shares two daughters with her husband, whom she says plays a key role in supporting her demanding schedule.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI have an amazing husband who supports me. He is a stay at home dad because he has to do the full time parenting when I\u2019m away,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A Global Look At Conservation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Season three of Mutual of Omaha\u2019s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild<\/em> expands beyond the United States with conservation stories from across the globe.<\/p>\n

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The new season includes filming in Queensland Australia, Mexico, Central America, Canada, and other remote regions. Wynn Grant says the episodes also challenge common fears about certain species.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThere are a lot of people who are really scared of sharks,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd we tell shark stories about how they need our protection.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The series also explores primate habitats and marine ecosystems while highlighting the conservation projects helping species\u2019 survive. <\/p>\n

Creating Possibility For The Next Generation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As one of the few visible Black faces in wildlife television, Wynn Grant hopes her presence helps expand what young people imagine for their futures.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIf you can\u2019t see it, you can\u2019t see <\/em>it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

She hopes viewers see her working in the field and begin to picture themselves in similar roles.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhen people do that double take like wait, she\u2019s doing that work, she\u2019s swimming with sharks, she\u2019s going into the bear den,\u201d Wynn Grant said. \u201cI hope it allows people to imagine themselves anywhere in any field.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

For her, the goal extends far beyond wildlife conservation.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI hope young Black girls, young Black boys, people of color around the world, anybody who wants to be a change maker feels belonging in that space,\u201d she said. \u201cNot just in wildlife conservation, but in anything that can make the world a better place.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Mutual of Omaha\u2019s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild<\/em> airs Saturday mornings on NBC and is available for streaming on Peacock.<\/p>\n