New York – September 07, 2026 -- Emmy-winning conservationist Jeff Corwin returns to national television with "Jeff Corwin's Southern Wild," premiering Saturday, October 3, on ABC stations nationwide as part of the Weekend Adventure educational programming block, with air times varying by local market.
The series, produced by Hearst Media Production Group in partnership with Lees-McRae College, was filmed across North Carolina, following Corwin from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic coast.
Corwin Tracks Bears, Alligators and Sea Turtles Across the State
Episodes show Corwin searching for bats and salamanders, encountering black bears, alligators and sea turtles, and snorkeling native waterways to study fish populations. The show also documents wildlife rescue and conservation work as it happens in real time.
"North Carolina is an extraordinary place to tell stories about wildlife," Corwin said, adding that the series highlights people dedicated to conservation alongside students preparing to enter the field.
Lees-McRae Students Get National Screen Time
Scientists, wildlife experts and conservationists join Corwin in the field, alongside Lees-McRae College students, educators and alumni who work in wildlife biology and rehabilitation. Lees-McRae president Lee King said the partnership shows the college's experiential learning model on a national scale, pointing to students' work at the school's animal rehab center and nature preserve.
Bryan Curb, president of Hearst Media Production Group, said pairing Corwin's wildlife focus with Lees-McRae's hands-on conservation work made the series a natural fit for viewers.
Corwin Brings Three Decades of Wildlife TV Experience
Corwin has fronted more than a dozen television series distributed in over 100 countries and previously partnered with HMPG on "Wildlife Nation with Jeff Corwin" and "Ocean Mysteries with Jeff Corwin." He holds degrees in biology and anthropology and a master's degree in wildlife and fisheries conservation.
HMPG's current portfolio includes more than 30 original series and a library of 85 series totaling 6,000 episodes, distributed across 100 countries.