As Jackson County residents were getting ready for Portfest, little did they know that a Discovery Channel television show host was getting his gear in the water and getting ready for some dirty work.
Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs, paid a visit to Jacksonport State Park last Thursday for his first encounter with alligator snapping turtles.
"It was a very simple job in the sense that it's the same job over and over," Rowe said about his excursion with his host, Dr. Stan Trauth, Professor of Zoology at Arkansas State University. "We just pulled in the traps and set the traps."
Once the turtles were caught, the doctor and his partner measured the turtles, checked their shells and applied pit tags for identification purposes.
According to Rowe, Arkansas was one of the states that the show had not visited. While he was not sure why, he wanted to change that.
"We've probably been to 200 towns like this," he said. "The small towns are what it's all about."
As far as the show, Rowe said they pretty much make it up as they go. "Nothing's scripted on the job. It's all real life stuff."
"We were very fortunate to be contacted by Dirty Jobs," Dr. Trauth said, explaining that the show has been corresponding with him for several months, the main issue being a good day for the turtles.
"We had a marvelous expedition on the water. Mike had a great time, doing most of the work."
Dr. Trauth visits the turtles on the Black River every couple of years to study their changes and habitat.
While the show was recorded last Thursday, Rowe said it may not air for months, but assures that when the time comes, Jackson County will know the air date. Continue reading the Newport Independent for the latest updates on this story.
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As Jackson County residents were getting ready for Portfest, little did they know that a Discovery Channel television show host was getting his gear in the water and getting ready for some dirty work.
Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs, paid a visit to Jacksonport State Park last Thursday for his first encounter with alligator snapping turtles.
"It was a very simple job in the sense that it's the same job over and over," Rowe said about his excursion with his host, Dr. Stan Trauth, Professor of Zoology at Arkansas State University. "We just pulled in the traps and set the traps."
Once the turtles were caught, the doctor and his partner measured the turtles, checked their shells and applied pit tags for identification purposes.
According to Rowe, Arkansas was one of the states that the show had not visited. While he was not sure why, he wanted to change that.
"We've probably been to 200 towns like this," he said. "The small towns are what it's all about."
As far as the show, Rowe said they pretty much make it up as they go. "Nothing's scripted on the job. It's all real life stuff."
"We were very fortunate to be contacted by Dirty Jobs," Dr. Trauth said, explaining that the show has been corresponding with him for several months, the main issue being a good day for the turtles.
"We had a marvelous expedition on the water. Mike had a great time, doing most of the work."
Dr. Trauth visits the turtles on the Black River every couple of years to study their changes and habitat.
While the show was recorded last Thursday, Rowe said it may not air for months, but assures that when the time comes, Jackson County will know the air date. Continue reading the Newport Independent for the latest updates on this story.
