Timber rattlesnake. Just imagine you looked down and spotted a rattlesnake. What would you do? Most people would run. Some might stare for a moment and slowly walk in the other direction. And a few — the really bold ones — might actually touch it or pick it up. That latter is just one part of Jim Harrison's everyday life at the Kentucky Reptile Zoo. On a daily basis, Harrison, 56, holds some of the world's most venomous snakes by they head and squeezes venom out of their fangs. Harrison is the director and owner of the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, a non-profit organization in Slade, Kentucky. He opened the zoo when he was 26 years old,...
Meet the man who handles deadly snakes every day — and doesn't earn a paycheck doing it
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Sssinuous friends
Snakes come and snakes go, whether we see them or not. But what if we do see them -- in the backyard? Arkansas is home to 36 species of snakes, only six of which are venomous species, according to the Arkansas Snake Guide brochure published by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. That means all the rest aren't. And that means, herpetologists say, chances are good the slithery thing that surprises the horrified homeowner is not a threat -- and it's lurking around for a reason. "This guy's a big rat trap," Jeremy Sloan of Greenwood said, displaying a long, gray, diamond-patterned Great Plains rat snake to a room packed with children Aug. 27 at the Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature...
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BSF gets lesson in snakebites
GUWAHATI: Jawans of the Border Security Force (BSF) posted along the heavily forested India-Bangladesh border in Tripura not only have to fight smugglers and infiltrators, they also have to ward off snakes. Rising instances of snakebites...
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New species of gecko discovered by Queensland Museum scientist
Heads or tails? A new species of gecko with a unique fat tail that matches its stubby snout has been discovered by a Queensland Museum scientist. The species, Diplodactylus ameyi, is about 85 milimetres long and has a round snout that matches its tail. It is this particular tail feature, among...
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33 reptiles are dead at Knoxville Zoo - and herpetologists don't know why
(CNN)The herpetology team arrived at Zoo Knoxville expecting business as usual, but what they found was a baffling sight: dozens of reptiles on the brink of death. The team...
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Thane Forest department to conduct workshop on April 10 for snake handlers
Somnath Mhatre of Belapur succumbed to snakebite while kissing a rescued cobra In a bid to lower instances of accidental death among snake handlers, the Thane Forest Department has decided to train the former about protocols they need to follow during rescue operations. The officials will be interacting with snake rescuers from across the state on April 10. According to sources, experts in the field of herpetology will be roped...
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‘Herping’ St. Patrick’s Day! Herpetologists ponder St. Patrick, snake-herding and natural history of Emerald Isle
LAWRENCE - Every March 17, lovers of Irish culture around the world commemorate the life and legend of a fifth-century missionary best known for spreading Christianity in Ireland, but also for driving all of the island's snakes into the sea. But could the tale of St. Patrick conceivably explain Ireland's lack of snakes? Is it even possible to herd snakes? Could these long-banished serpents someday make their way back to Ireland? Between lashings of green beer and plates heaped with corned beef and cabbage, such questions gnaw at every Hibernophile. The University of Kansas' Biodiversity Institute has one of the world's foremost assemblage of herpetologists - and that's not blarney. These...
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Snakebite: A 'neglected tropical disease'
Snakebite affects the lives of around 4.5 million people worldwide every year; seriously injuring 2.7 million men, women and children and claiming some 125,000 lives, according to the Global Snakebite Initiative. As a result, many are disabled, disfigured or paralyzed. These conditions practically take victims out of the workforce and cause financial hardships in the poor communities where most of them live. Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed snakebite envenoming as a “category A neglected tropical disease (NTD)” — WHO’s highest possible ranking for an NTD. With over 70 species of venomous snakes in Indonesia, snakebite is widespread, especially...
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Battling the venom
Nearly 50,000 people die after being bitten by snakes in India every year — making it the deadliest man-animal conflict of the day. The Snakebite Mitigation project hopes to change this, reports Marisha Karwa “It was July 2014. Ranidevi’s husband, 24-year-old Mukhi Singh Khaiwar, was tilling his field to sow maize (in Ledhgai village in Latehar District, Jharkhand). It was around 12 noon. As he went about doing his work, Mukhi didn’t see the Russell’s viper in the bushes next to the fields. The snake was disturbed and Mukhi was bitten by it. Initially the family resorted to faith healing. 30 minutes into the ritual, the family realised his condition was deteriorating...
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A venomous strike
What would you do if you got bitten by a snake? Scream and run away? Kill the snake then suck on the wound to get the venom out? On the contrary, these are some of the things you should absolutely not do after getting bitten by a snake. In Malaysia, the most common venomous snakes are the cobras and the pit vipers. The King Cobra, the largest venomous snake in the world, have become household pests, and are often found in palm oil plantations and forested areas in Malaysia. Dr Vincent Teo Eng Wah, a wildlife photographer and herping enthusiast from the Sports Centre of University Malaya, said that King Cobras can be found where there are plenty of snakes, as 95% of their diet consists of...
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Teen herpetologist fights for life after snakebite
A famous snake wrangler is fighting for his life after his pet inland taipan, widely regarded as the world’s most venomous snake, bit him. Nathan Chetcuti, a 19-year-old handler from Brisbane, Australia was attempting to put his new pet back in its enclosure on Sunday afternoon when it struck him. The teenager was reportedly with his dad at the time, who immediately called emergency...
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New species of gecko discovered in Andhra Pradesh after 5-year study
A new species of gecko was found in the Eastern Ghats in northern Andhra Pradesh. The reptile, which is endemic to the area, was identified as a different species after a five-year study. Named after eminent herpetologist Sushil Kumar Dutta from Odisha, Hemidactylus sushilduttai or Dutta’s Mahendragiri gecko is the 32nd species of house geckos...
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Claw-some! Fascinating close-up photos capture the world's most fearsome animals from views you'd NEVER want to witness in real life
For most of human history, getting this close to a deadly animal would be the last thing you'd ever see. But thanks to today's advances in photography, we have the privilege of witnessing these fearsome beasts in incredible detail from the safety of our screens. These images, rounded up by MailOnline Travel, capture the world's most powerful predators in awe-inspiring proximity; from the chunky paws of an Arctic polar bear as it thrashes around under the ocean surface, to the bared teeth of a snarling tiger. One photograph zones-in on the jaws of a great white shark, and its multiple rows of razor-sharp teeth. Another reveals the detail the prehistoric scales of the world's deadliest snake -...
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Conference helps mark 100 years of KU amphibian, reptile research (KU - The University of ...
(Source: KU - The University of Kansas) LAWRENCE - The KU Biodiversity Institute will celebrate 100 years of amphibian and reptile research this month with an international herpetology conference, exhibitions and a variety of educational public events. KU will host more than 425 scientists and students for the 58th annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles from July 30-Aug. 2. Single-day and full-conference registration and program information are available on the Biodiversity Institute's SSAR 2015 meeting website. Conference highlights include talks by world-famous biologists, including KU alumnus and...
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Snakes bare fangs at youths' photo op craze
NASHIK: Nineteen-year-old Jalandhar Govind from Nashik Road had a close shave when trying to catch a poisonous snake to impress his friends with a photograph on Independence Day. Jalandhar is at present undergoing treatment at the Nashik Civil Hospital, while his friends, who were recording his misadventure on their cellphones, are still busy forwarding his photographs with the venomous snake. Similar is the case of Subhash Bhalerao, a resident of Berwadi in...
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Antivenom Vaccines Market to Record an Exponential CAGR by 2025
Snakebite envenoming is a catastrophic global health issue that kills and incapacitates millions of people annually. It has been declared a global public health emergency. Empirical data suggests that an accurate information on the burden of snakebite is unavailable and this has resulted in epidemiological knowledge gap in this field. Research findings from more than 100 countries spread across 21 geographical regions have brought to light that at least 421,000 envenomings and 20,000 snakebite deaths occur each year globally. However, the expected toll could be as high as 1,841,000 envenomings and 94,000 deaths due to snakebite globally. The highest burden of snakebites is...
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Jeanette Covacevich - Memorial service for spirited herpetologist and museum curator
JEANETTE COVACEVICH 1945–2015 Jeanette Covacevich was a spirited and adventurous woman who made a lasting impression on all who knew her, often turning chance encounters into friendships. Professionally, she was widely respected in her dual roles of herpetologist and curator at the Queensland Museum. Jeanette Adelaide Covacevich was born in Innisfail on March 26, 1945, the elder of two children of Sir Thomas Covacevich and his wife, Gladys (nee Bryant). Sir Thomas, a decorated RAF officer of World War II, was a well-known Cairns solicitor and philanthropist. Jeanette grew up in Cairns, where she acquired a taste for outdoor adventure and a love of natural history. She went to Brisbane Girls...
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Snakebite map for pets launched
The SnakeMap Project is the first of its kind in Australia and was devised by emergency and critical care veterinarians Dr Manu Boller and Dr Kylie Kelers from the University of Melbourne's U-Vet animal hospital. Dr Boller teamed up with UVet Animal Hospital snakebite expert Dr Kylie Kelers, along with veterinary emergency and critical care experts from across Australia, epidemiologists and human snakebite experts. The secure, electronic research database was established to allow veterinary hospitals across Australia to enter their snakebite data. The data can then be used as a medical resource for vets and, in the...
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New species of Gecko discovered in Chhattisgarh forest
RAIPUR: A new species of gecko "EUBLEPHARIS SATPURAENSIS" (reptile) has been discovered for the first time in Chhattisgarh's rich biodiversity forest at Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary in Kawardha district. The population of the new species looks quite dense and indicates that the eco-system suits it for further conservation. Earlier found only in Madhya Pradesh, the species was spotted during tiger census being conducted in the sanctuary on the hills of Satpuda range. Forest department now plans to write to Zoological Survey of India...
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Doesn't Make Scents? Snakebite Causes Man to Lose Ability to Smell
In an unusual medical case, a man in Australia lost his sense of smell for more than a year after he was bitten by a venomous snake, according to a new report of his case. The man has since regained some of his sense of smell, but he is still unable to fully detect smells the way he did before his encounter with the reptile, called the mulga snake, said the doctors and other experts who examined the man's neurological condition about a year after he was bitten and who wrote the report of his case. "As far as I know, he is still affected but somewhat improved," said Kenneth D. Winkel, a toxinologist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, who co-authored the report. The...
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Scientists survey an Orange County neighborhood's nonnative lizard populations
Some of the highest densities of lizards in Southern California are found in portions of Orange County, where nonnative anoles and geckos have established thriving populations among the palm trees and rose gardens of ranch-style homes. On Monday, three biologists ventured into a tidy neighborhood in the City of Orange to better understand the distribution and breeding behavior of these fast and agile invaders, as well as their effects on native species. During the eight-hour expedition, the team led by Greg Pauley, herpetological curator at the Natural History Museum of Los...
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Wrong Antivenoms Are Costing Lives And Limbs
Snakebite is the most neglected of all under-resourced health challenges, according to the authors of a study of some of the most important venoms. As a result, enormous numbers of people are dying or suffering permanent disability from bites that could be treated with modest investments in manufacturing and distribution of antivenom. Several studies estimate the number of annual snakebite deaths at up to 100,000, mostly in Africa and India. The figure hides the severe...
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Poachers using science papers to target newly discovered species
Journals begin withholding locations after warnings the data is helping smugglers drive lizards, snakes and frogs to ‘near-extinction’...
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Venomous snake washes up on California beach
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. A 2-foot-long venomous sea snake found Monday slithering along a California beach has biologists wondering if the find is more than a fluke. >> Read more trending news A person walking along Newport Beach found a 25-inch-long yellow-bellied...
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The most dangerous snakes in the world
This rare venomous sea snake found slithering on the sand in Newport Beach is one of a growing number of the serpents apparently drawn far north of their usual...
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Rare, venomous sea snake found slithering on Southern California shores. Are more coming?
A rare venomous sea snake found slithering on the sand in Newport Beach earlier this week was one of a growing number of the serpents apparently...
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UNC Asheville Biology Professor Graham Reynolds Appointed as an Associate of Harvard University’s Museum of Comparative Zoology
Graham Reynolds, assistant professor of biology at UNC Asheville, has been appointed as an associate of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) at Harvard University. This invited appointment provides associates with access to institution resources such as specimen collections, libraries, and Museum facilities. The appointment is for up to five years, and begins July 1. 'I envision that this will be...
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Another Extremely Rare Venomous Sea Snake Washes Up On California's Coast
For the second time in just two months, an extremely rare venomous sea snake has made a surprise appearance on Southern California's coastline, suggesting that the abnormally warm temperatures of the local waters are attracting species that would have once given the area a miss. A dead yellow-bellied sea snake, of a type commonly found throughout the warmer Pacific and Indian Oceans, washed up Friday along Bolsa Chica State Beach, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles, according to the Natural...
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Papua New Guinea's Snake Man
It’s a fearsome creature cloaked in superstition. The Papuan Taipan kills about 1,000 people in Papua New...
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Rare death from snake bite in Australian home
A man has died a week after being bitten by one of the world's deadliest snakes in his living room in Australia's tropical northeast, officials said. The 77-year-old, named in local media as David...
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Dead venom, weak antidote
KOCHI: Experts Believe That Mortality Due To Snakebites Would Come Down If The Quality Of Anti-Venom Is Improved World Health Organisation (WHO) has again included snakebite envenoming in its list of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) in 2017, but effectiveness of Indian anti-venoms remains a major problem. It is estimated that the total number of snakebites worldwide is more than four to five million with about two million actual envenomations resulting in more than 100,000 deaths per year. In India alone, there are over 200,000 snakebites every year leading to 40,000 to 50,000 deaths. In other words, of the estimated total deaths due to venomous snakebite worldwide, nearly half occur in...
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El Nino brings venomous sea snakes to California's coast
(CNN)El Nino is bringing more than just rain to California. A highly venomous sea snake was spotted in Ventura County on Thursday evening. By Friday, a surfer had captured footage of the sea snake lying on the beach. "It looked lethargic when I approached," Bob Forbes told CNN. "I touched it lightly and it started to move." Fearing that children might come across the aquatic snake, Forbes placed it inside a five-gallon bucket with some ocean water and alerted local wildlife experts. The discovery is a rare Southern California...
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October 06, 2016—Beautiful and deadly: Live reptile exhibition opens on October 7 (Canadian Museum of Nature)
(Source: Canadian Museum of Nature) Home About Us Museum News For Media Press Releases Beautiful and deadly: Live reptile exhibition opens on October 7 OTTAWA, October 6, 2016 - The mystery and wonder of live lizards, snakes, turtles and other reptiles around the world are revealed in the Canadian Museum of Nature's (CMN) newest exhibition, Reptiles: Beautiful and Deadly, which opens October 7. 'This is the largest travelling reptile exhibition in the world and we're very excited to showcase it at our Museum,' says Meg Beckel, President and CEO of the CMN. 'The experience is meant to explode common myths and instill a new appreciation for these...
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Florida Museum to host 40th annual herpetological conference (Florida Museum of Natural History)
(Source: Florida Museum of Natural History) February 20th, 2017 GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Snake, frog, turtle and lizard enthusiasts from around the world will gather at the Florida Museum of Natural History's 40th annual herpetological conference in March. The symposium will bring together amateurs and professionals for talks, workshops and exhibits on the latest herpetology research March 25-26 at the Wyndham Garden Gainesville, 2900 SW 13th St. The alligator snapping turtle is an example of endangered wildlife. Florida Museum of Natural History photo by Eric...
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Cheating death: Papua New Guinea's snake man
In the grasslands of Papua New Guinea (PNG) they lurk - silent, lethal, deadly. The Papuan Taipan lies in wait, ready to pounce on unsuspecting villagers as they walk barefoot through the long grass. This danger zone is David Williams' workplace. Known in PNG as the "snake man", the Australian reptile handler-turned-scientist ventures where others fear to tread - literally. Every year, the Papuan Taipan kills up to 1,000 people in PNG, and in some parts of this South Pacific nation, there can be as many as 60 snakes per hectare. Those who live in remote villages far from medical help are especially vulnerable. "We could probably prevent 80 percent of all snake bites in this country, but the...
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Another Deadly Snake Species Discovered In Australia
Scientists say they’ve discovered a new species of deadly snake in Australia: the Kimberley death adder. The snake is named for the remote region of Kimberley, located in Western Australia. The adder is endemic to the region. New deadly snake – Kimberley death adder - discovered in Australia http://t.co/KNzUDjlOr9 pic.twitter.com/1Vts48xohp— Independent.ie (@Independent_ie) September 16, 2015 Researchers recently...
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Australian man bitten by taipan snake dies after six days in hospital
David Pitt, 77, went into cardiac arrest after highly venomous reptile bit him on the foot in his home in far north Queensland...
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4 anacondas to make zoo home next year
Kolkata: Alipore zoo's tryst with new guests is far from over. More good news is in store for the visitors, who will take a first look at the grey kangaroos, jaguars, Asiatic lions and mouse deer on Friday. For the first time in its history, the Alipore Zoological Gardens will house anacondas. Talking to TOI, Alipore zoo director A K Samanta said that they will...
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Researchers discover new species of burrowing snake in Western Ghats
Kolhapur: Researchers have discovered a new snake species in the Western Ghats in Kolhapur and Sindhudurg districts. It is a burrowing snake of the Melanophidium genus and belongs to the Uropeltidae family of snakes. All species of this group are burrowers that live mostly underground. The species has been named after Pune-based herpetologist (one who studies snakes) Neelimkumar Khaire to pay tribute to his contribution to the knowledge, appreciation and conservation...
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When snakes bite: Newcastle to host venom and antivenom research centre
Monday is milking day at the Australian Reptile Park. Each week the park's head of reptiles, Billy Collett, collects venom from 100 snakes to be used in life-saving antivenoms. Surrounded by boxes housing his deadly charges – taipans, tiger snakes, king browns – Mr Collett deftly immobilises a snake's head as it sprays venom into a vial. In 10 years of working with snakes, he has never been bitten. The 10 most venomous snakes in the world are all found in Australia. The reptile park, at Somersby on the NSW central coast,...
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Australian expert to chair WHO snakebite working group
Dr David Williams, who heads the university's Australian Venom Research Unit , was appointed to chair the Working Group in December and will combine the role with his work improving antivenom availability in Papua New Guinea. The move follows a June 2017 WHO decision to reinstate snakebite to the highest priority list of Neglected Tropical Diseases. Venomous snakes bite five million people globally each year. Between 81,000-138,000 of them die and more than 400,000 are permanently disabled in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and Papua New Guinea. In many...
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Snakes Researchers Have Been Studying For Decades Turn Out To Be Four New Species
Scientists have discovered not one but four new species of snake. What is perhaps even more extraordinary is that they’ve been studying the reptiles for years and had absolutely no idea. The late herpetologist, Samuel McDowell, spent a large chunk of his career studying the ground snakes in Papua New Guinea during the '70s. Four decades on and Sara Ruane, an assistant professor at the Department of Biological Sciences at...
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Yet another deadly snake species discovered in Australia
Scientists describe the highly camouflaged Kimberley death adder, native to Western Australia, as one of the world’s most venomous snakes...
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