FEW people can claim that coming face-to-face with a tiger changed their life. However, Irish television presenter Liz Bonnin credits a big cat with getting her the job as presenter on some wildly popular wildlife and science programmes, including Autumnwatch, Springwatch and Stargazing Live.
Her close encounter in the jungle 12 years ago turned out to be the first of many fascinating experiences for the 39-year-old, who was most recently on BBC show Cats v Dogs: Which Is Best?
"Cats rule," she says with a laugh. "They're far more fascinating than dogs as personalities and when they interact with you, it's more meaningful because it's so much on their terms."
Cat lover she may be – whatever size they come in – but she hasn't confined herself to one species. In fact, she's been lucky enough to communicate with an ape using sign language, gaze into the eyes of an elephant (which she felt was "intuitively checking me out") and tickle the tummies of grey whales.
"I've had so many magical moments observing animals, which have revealed to me how much over the years we've underestimated the intelligence of many species and that we may have to reconsider in the future whether they should be kept in captivity, but most significant for me personally was undoubtedly seeing my first tiger, Kunkutti in 2003. She literally changed the course of my life," says Bonnin.
Despite gaining a science degree at Trinity College Dublin, she initially followed a love of music and sang in Irish girl pop group Chill before going into presenting roles including Channel Four's morning show, RI:SE as well as Top Of The Pops.
"Although I was passionate about science right from being a young child, after university I just travelled a lot and sort of floated through a lot of my 20s, not being serious about getting my career together," the French-born presenter admits.
"I had faith that things would fall into place and when I saw Kunkutti, while working on a wildlife documentary in Pench National Park in India, it all did. She reignited my science passion and I went back to school and eventually gained a Masters in Wild Animal Biology, specialising in tigers in Nepal."
Bonnin, who is backing EDF Energy's Pretty Curious programme and hopes to encourage teenage girls to study science-based subjects at school or beyond, has been involved in science broadcasting for 10 years and presented ITV's Countrywise alongside Paul Heiney and Ben Fogle.
She' has also worked on a wide range of documentaries including Super Smart Animals which explored animal intelligence in 2012 and last year, BBC One's Animals In Love looking at the emotional lives of animals, and Big Blue Live, focusing on Californian marine life.
"Science has opened up so many opportunities for me and I hope I can show young girls that it can do the same for them and far from being dry or dull, it's endlessly interesting and varied," she says.
"While my real love is big cats, and I'm determined to study one of the most elusive cats on the planet – the snow leopard – I've recently learnt more about elephants and been blown away by their emotional intelligence. One female in Botswana is ingrained in my memory forever. She and I locked eyes for what seemed like an eternity and she reacted to my every tiny movement," she enthuses.
"Mammals like whales are just as fascinating. On location in Mexico, grey whales came up to our boat and presented their calves to us and supported them out of the water so that we could scratch their bellies – unbelievable!"
Her life's not been without risk, however. She had a rather too close encounter with a tiger which became enraged by the film crew's presence, on a dive off Northern Ireland in choppy seas a cameraman ran out of oxygen, and she braved a challenging journey plunging to oceanic depths in a tiny submersible craft.
"In exciting but precarious situations, you have to be fatalistic and accept that these sort of adventures involve risk and all you can do is try to minimise it and stay safe," she says.
"I'm determined to explore as many places and species as I can in my lifetime. I know everyone can't do that and I realise it's all too easy for people to get bogged down in daily routines, but it still amazes me how many don't have much interest in the natural miracles that are out there, and the abundance of wildlife, often just on their doorsteps."
:: Liz Bonnin is a role model for EDF Energy's Pretty Curious programme (aimed at encouraging teenage girls to study science-based subjects at school and beyond). Visit www.edfenergy.com/prettycurious/inspire.
