Snakes Alive!! Visit to Cleland Wildllife Park

[Dipcdame]

Three of us turned up to the Public Sector Week event at Cleland Wildlife Park on Wednesday (25th Nov). Myself, hubby and Slytherin.

The event was held in the education building and was in the form of an information session on reptiles, mainly snakes to help educate the public about snakes, and show they aren't the creatures to be feared. The guy produced a couple of stunning specimens of Tiger, RBB and Brown snakes, allowing them to roam on the floor for all to see. He was, I might add, extremely careful about letting them get within cooee of anyone there.

The session was really informative, and most interesting. Even more so when he brought out a carpet python and came around the group allowing those there to actaully get a feel of what they are like. Most were surprised as to how it was so dry! One lady had turned up with her daughter, only because her daughter liked snakes, and ended up going from fear of snakes, to actually holding the head end of the last treat we got.

The last treat was a beautiful gentle giant of an olive, soooooooo placid, even the littlies were allowed up to touch it and hold his head end. Of course, Slytherin and I lost no time in grabbing a solo cuddle with this beautiful creature!!

Fantastic day out, and a wonderful session, many thanks to the staff at Cleland!!

 

[Dipcdame]

More pics, these are thanks to Slytherin, they're from her camera, her pics were better than mine!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dipcdame]

just a few more pics.......... while the guy was holding up the shed skin, the tiger or rbb was on the floor!!!!!!

 

[Slytherin]

I thought it was a very informative and interesting presentation and I discovered some things that I didn't know before. What really struck me was the difference between the public myth of many of the Aussie elapids and the actual reality of their behaviour. At no time did the brown or tiger snakes attempt to 'chase' us or act aggressively towards us all they wanted to do was hide. As Dipcdame said before, there were people there who had their opinions (even slightly) changed towards snakes. One man, (sitting in the front row mind you) admitted to once killing a snake but now appeared to have had a change in opinion.

A big thanks to Brett Haby at Cleland Wildlife Park, for a fantastic job of presenting reptiles and especially snakes in a balanced, safe and interesting way! My desire is that more of the general public could see and experience what we did and discover the beauty of our Aussie snakes.

 

[Troyster]

I wish i had known about it,i would have loved to have gone and been apart of it.

 

[cosmicwolf4]

I wish i had known about it,i would have loved to have gone and been apart of it.

I second that Troyster. I would have loved to go see it