Santa Fe College Biology Professor Dr. Jerry Johnston was recently featured on Nat Geo Wild (NGW) channel’s Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr (Episode: Bayou Beasts). The episode will air again Wednesday, September 19 at 3 p.m. on Nat Geo Wild.
On the show, Johnston and show host Brady Barr go snorkeling on the Santa Fe River in search of alligator snapping turtles. Brady and Johnston showcase the power of the snapping turtle and highlight its natural habitat.
The show’s website touts, “Weighing several hundred pounds and armed with vicelike (sic) jaws capable of dismembering prey, the alligator snapper is a true prehistoric beast – and Dr. Brady Barr is on a mission to find it.”
Johnston has also been featured on the television show Wild Florida and a National Geographic film about alligator snapping turtles.
About Dr. Jerry Johnston
Santa Fe College Biology Professor Jerry Johnston was named The Association of Florida Colleges’ (AFC) 2011 Professor of the Year. AFC is the professional association for Florida’s 28 public community colleges.
In addition to his work in the classroom, Johnston founded and directs the Santa Fe River Turtle Project, a local conservation effort spearheaded by SF and UF students. He is a member of the Florida Academy of Sciences, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, and Turtle Survival Alliance. He is also a member of the Florida Academy of Sciences and the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.
Johnston serves as advisor to SF’s Herpetology Club, creating research opportunities, organized cleanups and exotic plant removal events on the Santa Fe River and springs.