Forrest Galante has managed to turn his love for wildlife into a successful TV career. Galante is best-known for his role as the host of the Animal Planet’s Extinct or Alive. On the show, Forrest travels the world to research possibly extinct animals. The show has become very popular and Forrest’s bright personality is definitely one of the things that keeps viewers coming back. But although the show is definitely what most people know him for, there’s a lot more to Forrest than many viewers know. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Forrest Galante.
1. He’s Lived In Zimbabwe
Forrest Galante’s adventurous lifestyle began the moment he was born. He was born in California, but he he spent the first 14 years of his life living in Zimbabwe. He grew up on a farm and developed an interest in the outdoors. When and his family returned to California when he was in high school, he had a hard time adjusting to life in the United States.
2. He Has A Degree In Biology
Forrest isn’t just playing a scientist on TV. He has a degree in biology from UN Santa Barbara. In an interview with Afraid Mag, Forrest said, “I’m a wildlife biologist by trade. The reason I got caught for TV was because of these daring animal-related ventures. ”
3. He Loves Doing Volunteer Work
No matter how busy Forrest gets, he always makes time to give back to others. Volunteering is very important to him and he is especially passionate about working with children. He coaches a youth rugby team in California called the Santa Barbara Stingrays.
4. He Loves Making Science Fun
One of the reasons why Extinct or Alive is so popular, is because Forrest is able to make learning about wildlife exiting. The ability to make the subject matter fun is one of Forrest’s favorite things about his job. He says, “we show how fun and exciting and interesting wildlife science is and we show how passionate, not just myself, but the whole crew is.”
5. He Was A Rugby Player
Long before he was hosting his own TV show, Forrest was an athlete. He grew up playing rugby and continued to do so all throughout college. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious back injury while playing in Thailand and his rugby career was over.
6. He Was Detained In High School For Bringing In A Pocket Knife
As I mentioned before, Forrest had a pretty tough time adjusting to being in the United States. It goes without saying that many things in America were different than what he was used to in Zimbabwe. In high school, he learned a hard lesson about one of these differences. He brought a pocket knife to school in his lunch box so he could cut up some fruit for his meal. Although this was normal in Zimbabwe, it was against the rules in the U.S. and he was detained and driven home by police.
7. He Doesn’t Think There’s Anything Scary In The United States
Forrest has been all over the world, and he’s seen lots of scary things. Whether it government violence in Zimbabwe or a pack of animals charging in his direction, he’s had to deal with some frightening circumstances. As a result, he doesn’t think America is scary at all. He says, “America is so tame. There is nothing scary here.” He adds, ” I’ve seen all of the worst that the U.S. has to offer and it’s all timid. Nothing is too scary here.”
8. He Loves Taking Pictures
Forrest spends most of his time in front of the camera now, but there was once a time where he spent much more time behind it. One of Forrest’s first jobs after graduating college was traveling around the world and taking pictures of rare wildlife. These days, his Instagram profiles is home to most of his exciting pictures.
9. He Holds Records For Spear Fishing
When Forrest moved back to the United States, he developed an interest in spear fishing. The hobby became a way for him to enjoy himself and escape. He became a very talented spear fisher and participated in several competitions. He holds six pole spear world records
10. His Parents Were Safari Guides
Forrest’s love for exploring the wild comes from his parents. Both of his parents were safari guides when the family lived in Zimbabwe. When Forrest was a kid, he would spend hours hanging out in the African bush.
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