Parents' Guide to

Operation Wild

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Rescuing Florida wildlife makes for fairly tame reality TV.

TV Planet Green Reality TV 2010
Operation Wild Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

OPERATION WILD follows Florida's Fisheries and Wildlife Commission officers as they rescue animals throughout the state. Cameras follow the officers as they wrestle with wild pythons, remove alligators from homes, and relocate domesticated grizzly bears. Water rescues are also featured, as are run-ins with lawbreakers (and, sometimes, victims of tragedies like drowning). Each episode poses a trivia question about Florida's wildlife.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Overall, OPERATION WILD highlights Florida's sophisticated ecosystem and the challenges the state faces to protect it. The show's content is pretty mild, but it still features some of the typical events associated with law enforcement reality shows -- like arguments with officers. There's also an attempt to create some extra drama with the use of ominous background music and trendy visual techniques.

Some viewers may find some of the policies discussed here a little frustrating, especially when well-intentioned citizens are reprimanded when trying to do the right thing when it comes to capturing and/or controlling wild animals. But animal lovers and environmentalists will most likely appreciate the efforts to protect the ecosystem that are being showcased here.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the various ways that law enforcement is portrayed in the media. Does it tend to be mostly positive or negative? How does this show compare to others you've seen in that respect?

  • How realistic are reality shows like this one? Do you think some of the events are staged to excite and/or impress viewers? Parents: Get tips about talking to your kids about reality shows.

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate