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Nature show host shops here for vacation home
By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET, Times Staff Writer INVERNESS -- Wildlife expert and Animal Adventures host Jack Hanna has visited Citrus County several times to film documentaries on the manatees and other critters that call this area home. Now, he's thinking about joining them. Hanna, who just wrapped up a two-day visit here, said he is considering getting a vacation home in Citrus County within the next month or so. Although he would not say which part of the county he was looking at, his love of the manatee makes the west side an obvious choice. "I like the whole county, but I love the water and the manatee," he said. "I'm fascinated by that animal. "The manatee has never damaged anybody or anything," Hanna added. "They've been around tens of thousands of years, and now they're almost gone." Hanna's home is a ranch in Montana overlooking Glacier National Park, although he admits his popular nature television series keeps him on the road 260 days out of the year. Hanna was hoping to keep his visit low key, but as word got out, the locals piled on the royal treatment. A small entourage took Hanna to the Academy of Environmental Science and the Marine Science Center. The American Indians of Red Turtle Lodge gave Hanna a dream-catcher and other symbolic gifts. County Commissioner Josh Wooten spent time showing Hanna around, and commissioners even issued a special proclamation Tuesday welcoming Hanna "on his visit to our community." "This would be a wonderful place for a second home," Commission Chairman Jim Fowler hinted not so subtly. Hanna said he appreciated the hospitality and admired the county's dedication to the environment. With about half of the land falling into preserves or wildlife areas that cannot be built on, Citrus County will keep its natural feel even as other parts of Florida overdevelop, he said. "It's one of the few places where you could walk into your back yard and see manatees, eagles, osprey. . . . It's like nature's park," Hanna said.
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Citrus Times Letters |
