Ralph Helfer

[excerpted from author's website]
Ralph Helfer is a renowned exotic animal behaviorist, author, film producer, lecturer, and safari host. One of the greatest Hollywood exotic animal behaviorists to ever work the silver screen. Ralph is the original creator of "affection training," a method that uses love, patience, understanding, and respect to develop strong bonds between humans and wild animals. During his career, Helfer owned numerous animal celebrities, including Zamba the lion, Modoc, the elephant, Clarence the Cross-eyed Lion, and Judy the Chimp. His company, Africa USA, was the world's largest supplier of affection trained animals for the motion picture and television industry for over 30 years, with an impressive 2000+ credits to his name and winner of numerous Patsy awards. He began his career in motion pictures determined to redefine what it meant to “train” the glamorous fanged, furry, and four-legged heroes the world watched every night on their television sets, and every weekend in their local cinemas. Through his affection training, he quickly began to surpass the other animal trainers on the Hollywood scene who resorted to fear training to get their desired results. The animals Ralph raised, nurtured, and worked with on a daily basis responded to his caring approach better than any big cat ever answered to a circus whip.

He founded the AGA (Animal Guild of America), was the CEO and owner of Enchanted Village, a leisure time park in Buena Park, Calif. as well as the CEO and owner of Little Africa in Solvang, CA. He was also director and designer of the animal performances at Marine World Africa U.S.A.

Ralph went on to lecture all around the states and taught at the Learning Tree University in San Fernando where he won the award for Excellence. After leaving Hollywood Ralph moved to Kenya, East Africa where he went on to host private luxury safaris that showcased the beauty and wonder of a country he loves and considers an adopted home. Ralph currently lives in California where he continues to write and is working alongside his daughter Tana, who grew up with the animals Ralph loved so much and was also raised with an affection training mindset.