Website last updated June 2022
If you would like to get in touch to arrange a booking please contact me.
LATEST NEWS
Adults, you can keep in touch with JJR news either by ‘liking’ my Facebook page or following me on Instagram or Twitter (or both!) via the links below:
Recent Social Media Posts
Evening all! In recent days I've had oothecae (egg sacs) of two different species of praying mantis hatch for the first time in a while. First to hatch were 45 Malaysian dead leaf praying mantises (Deroplatys dessicata) followed by 50+ giant Asian praying mantises (Hierodula membranacea). The tiny nymphs are incredibly cute but they're eating so many baby crickets it's ridiculous!!
Today is the first birthday of this fabulous royal python and I am delighted to announce that as of today he will be known as MUFASA! The competition to name him ended just last night and I had chosen a very different name to announce this evening, until this morning when I opened up the Timehop app (as I do every day) and changed my mind instantly. Completely by chance I was greeted with the information that June 15th is also the anniversary of the release of Disney's The Lion King (my favourite Disney animated film), by way of this picture of Rafiki and Mufasa embracing! If I had realised this before now it would have been a much easier decision as my 22yr old royal python is named Rafiki (which means friend in Swahili) and Mufasa is of course the king of the lions (at least at the beginning of the film, no plot spoilers here!) which is a perfect link to royalty as well. The name Mufasa was actually suggested by three different people during the competition, the very first of whom was an 8yr old boy named Joel at a school I visited back in May. Congrats to Joel, who expects to donate the prize of a half price visit from the animals & I to his cub pack when I start doing club visits and parties again in the future. 🙂 Mufasa spent his birthday wowing the children and staff members (some of whom are pictured here with him!) at Haydonleigh Primary School in Swindon, which incidentally is now the school I have been to more times than any other in JJR history. Today was my 23rd visit there and the 24th is already booked for next summer! Thanks again to everyone who suggested a name for this wonderful snake - if I hadn't seen the Lion King post this morning there would have been a different winner and a very different name for sure!
Blondie, my lovely Arizona desert blonde tarantula (aka Aphonopelma chalcodes), successful moulted a few days ago and here she is looking fabulous! The final two pictures are of her empty discarded exoskeleton, the first with the carapace (head area) intact and the second with it removed. I've said it before and I'll say it again - this process never ceases to amaze me no matter how many hundreds of times I've witnessed it over the years!
Ten years ago today, a few of my animals & I appeared live on BBC Radio 1 with Scott Mills and Chris Stark. Its still one of the highlights of my JJR adventure thus far and definitely the best visitor's badge I've ever been given. 😁 Scott, Chris & Rhianna (Radio 1's film critic at that time) were all absolutely lovely and I can remember it like it was yesterday. If you haven't ever heard it, or would like a laugh, feel free to listen here: https://m.soundcloud.com/jonathansjungleroadshow/scottmills
Welcome to Jonathan’s Jungle Roadshow!
I specialise in providing professional animal encounter sessions which are designed to be educational, interactive and fun for all involved.
I am a former Primary school teacher based in Swindon, Wiltshire but now travel across central & southern England and south Wales to provide as many people as possible with the service I am able to offer! I maintain a large and varied private collection of truly amazing invertebrates and reptiles, all of which can be viewed by clicking here.
I am able to provide presentations, workshops and hands-on sessions to suit any situation and age group (children or adults) and these are just a few examples of the visits I commonly undertake:
- Schools / Pre-schools /Colleges (Foundation Stage through to Key Stage 4 and beyond
- Private birthday parties / Media and Special events
- Public events (large and small) / Fetes and Fayres
- Corporate Events (for both larger & smaller organisations)
Whatever your needs I can provide groups of children or adults the opportunity to gain first hand experience of some absolutely amazing animals up close and personally, and an experience definitely not to be forgotten!
In December 2013 I was very fortunate to experience the trip of a lifetime to Costa Rica with TV presenter Nick Baker.
If you would like to see lots more pictures of amazing rainforest animals please click HERE!
I have been fortunate to work with the BBC on many occasions in recent years! Most recently two of my lovely crested geckos & I appeared on live TV on Saturday 27th July 2013 when we joined Naomi Wilkinson, Tim Warwood and Radzi Chinyanganya for the final live show of CBBC’s fantastic series WILD in Leeds! It was a fantastic experience and here is the video sequence as it appeared on the TV as well as some photographs taken during the live filming!
As well as appearing on the CBBC show I also had the opportunity to present live on stage with the WILD presenting team, to talk to the crowds about some of my animals as part of the wider CBBC Live in Leeds event. Here are some photos of the two live stage shows, great fun!
It was an absolute privilege to be involved in the CBBC Live in Leeds event and of course to appear on the final television show WILD series 1.
I have enjoyed many other experiences working with the BBC in recent years and the first time was during Autumn 2011 when I was invited to join the BBC Live ‘n’ Deadly team, when I entertained thousands of members of the public (young & old) with some of my animals at their ‘Deadly Days Out‘. These were a series of public events featuring Steve Backshall from CBBC’s ‘Deadly 60‘ and ‘Live ‘n’ Deadly‘ as well as his lovely Live ‘n’ Deadly co-host (and now presenter of Naomi’s Nightmares of Nature and WILD) Naomi Wilkinson, both pictured with myself below:
It was an absolute privilege to be asked to be involved in these superb events and to meet and work alongside so many great people, from Steve & Naomi to the fantastic BBC senior production team to the stewards & the rest of the roaming animal team, an amazing experience!
In the spring of 2012 I was invited back to work with the BBC when I attended the CBBC & CBeebies 10th birthday celebrations at the BBC’s new headquarters – MediaCityUK in Salford. I had the privilege of presenting some of my animals alongside the lovely and very talented Michelle Ackerley (below left) from CBBC’s brilliant Deadly Art – a fantastic day!
Photos above courtesy of Nicola Stead Photography
In the summer of 2012 myself and some of my animals appeared live on BBC Radio 1 with Scott Mills (and in-vision via the Radio 1 website) in a ‘show & tell’-style feature! It was great fun and was heard by millions of people! Below is a picture of myself with Scott Mills & Chris Stark from Scott’s show (and the gorgeous Goldie) as well as a picture of King Julien & I with the lovely Rhianna Dhillon, who at the time of my visit was Radio 1’s resident film critic. Another truly fabulous BBC experience!!
Please navigate the website using the menu buttons at the top of the screen. Thanks for visiting, please don’t hesitate to call or email if you have any questions and I will look forward to hearing from you! I have full Public Liability Insurance and CRB clearance for your peace of mind.
For just a few examples of feedback comments that people have made following their experience of Jonathan’s Jungle Roadshow please click here!