Ep 1. Welcome to the Family

Our Wild Life season 1 episode 1, titled "Welcome to the Family," follows the life of the family-run zoo, The Oasis, located in Pineville, North Carolina. The episode opens up with the arrival of Bobbie Jo Abrams, the main protagonist of the series, at her home at The Oasis. Bobbie Jo is a single mother of four daughters and her boyfriend, Jerry, who have come along with her. She runs the zoo with her daughters and a group of other relatives and friends, making The Oasis a tight-knit family operation.

Throughout the episode, viewers get a glimpse into the daily routine of running a zoo, witnessing Bobbie Jo and her family managing the animals' care and feeding. From tending to the bird aviary to caring for the llamas and potbelly pigs, the zookeeping work never ends. Bobbie Jo also constantly has to put out fires, so to speak, as any substantial schedule change or unexpected event can throw off the whole operation. For instance, when a sudden storm hits the area, the team has to scramble to keep all the animals safe and secure.

The Oasis also hosts birthday parties for children, where Bobbie Jo personally treats the guests to a hands-on educational experience. Here, she shows the kids different exotic animals like snakes, lizards, and baby alligators. As the kids are awestruck and excited, Bobbie Jo takes the opportunity to teach the children about each animal's behavior, habitat, and even their favorite foods.

Besides the daily zoo-keeping, the episode invites us into Bobbie Jo's personal life. Although she has four daughters, she and Jerry make the decision to add more members to their blended family. They have always wanted more children, but rather than having more kids, they opt to adopt several children who also have special needs and add them to the family. They go through the process of selecting different children from the foster care system, and the episode shows the joyous moment of when the kids finally arrive at The Oasis.

The episode also explores the private life of Bobbie Jo's oldest daughter, 20-year-old Haley. She reveals that she wants to go to college but doesn't want to leave her family behind. From revealing this side of Haley, viewers can see how everyone in the family is committed to The Oasis, and the zoo is not just a place of work for this family, but it is their home.

As the episode comes to a close, Bobbie Jo and the family members gather together at their home, sharing their highs and lows of the day and celebrating the arrival of the new family members. Overall, the episode introduces the viewer to the daily routine and the unique personalities of the Abrams family and their extended family members who work together to maintain the zoo. "Welcome to the Family" is an entertaining and educational start to the "Our Wild Life" series.