Roger's potty about animals
Roger Pearson is never more relaxed than when he has a boa constrictor hanging from his neck and a tarantula in his hand.
"When I was four years old I had a grass snake for a pet," says Roger. "Ever since I have been smitten.
"For the last 38 years I have taken animals around schools, prisons, libraries and colleges across the country.
"We help biology and zoology students. I have had famous stars hire us for their children's birthday parties and even a Russian billionaire calls on us to show our animals."
Roger, who lives in Wombourne, is director of Smestow Wildlife Centre and says his aim it to educate people on the importance of preserving wildlife and caring for animals.
"Today animals are more important than ever before because of the decimation of habitat world-wide," he says.
"By teaching children about animals it works towards a more positive future and the youngsters may go on to become zoologists or veterinary nurses.
"We talk to young farmers who are only too keen to help conservation because it is important to their future.
"I lost my wife to cancer 18 months ago and I did a show at the Emirates Stadium to help raise money for children with cancer."
Roger also did the filming for the BBC's Life of Mammals and Life of Birds, and is now working on a film which will be shown in Europe later this year.
"I have run a film company for over 30 years and we are setting up a business in the north of France, Belgium and Germany," he says.
"I have just come back from the north of Norway where I was filming killer whales. We are going back in November when we hope to catch pods of whales feeding on mackerel.
"While filming, my most terrifying moment was when I was strangled by a reticulated python 14 years ago.
"Thankfully the St John Ambulance brought me back to life but it didn't put me off – I love snakes.
It was so memorable because the next day it was on the television all over the world – I had reporters in Australia phone me up asking me what it was like to be killed by a snake."
Among the animals and insects at Smestow Wildlife Centre is Billy Jo the cornsnake, BBC the boa constrictor, Toby the barn owl and Fluffy the Chilean rose tarantula. Even the hissing cockroaches are named Mr and Mrs and Son.
"I get the best reactions from an audience when the spiders and snakes come out," he says. "There are a lot of people that are frightened of them and I have a lot of experience of dealing with people and their phobias.
"I did a programme a while ago where Don Maclean was afraid of snakes and we got him to hold two. "We also helped a lady who had been terrified of spiders all her life and we got her to hold a tarantula."
The centre breeds its own animals and exchanges them with other wildlife parks. The centre also supplied owls for the first Harry Potter movie.
"Two agents travelled from Los Angeles to my home. When they saw the owls they asked if they could be used in the film," he says.
"All the filming was done in the UK so the animals didn't have to travel too far.
"Most people love animals but it is just the minority that spoil it for the rest of us. I am totally against cruelty to any animal."
So with a life of filming animals and travelling the world what has been the high-point for Roger?
"My whole life has been fantastic," he says.
"I am one of the luckiest men in the world because I get to do what I want to do – work with animals.
"I'm teaching people about the living world and the importance of preserving it for future generations – what could be more satisfying than that?"
