What got you interested in wildlife?

As an aside: what really got me interested in wildlife was catching things when out on hikes as a kid. There’s nothing like having a wild-caught snake or frog in your hand to cultivate an interest in herpetology. Nowadays, I see a shift in philosophy about whether anyone should even touch a wild animal. I realize that we know more now about disease transmission in wild animals and that many species are being threatened by such. But I do find it discouraging that many kids today who might be encouraged to go into zoology can only appreciate many animals from afar.