Khamai Reptile Park, South Africa

[BoomSlang*]

I recently spent a few months volunteering in South Africa and worked at Khamai Reptile Park. It is a world renowned reptile centre, often used for documentaries by the likes of O'Shea, Attenborough, Marvin, Stevens and is run by Donald Strydon, one of the worlds leading herpetologists.

This place realy is a 'must' for anyone intersted in reptiles. Herp knowledge goes through the roof (as you can imagin working with people like Donald) and mind blowing experiences are guaranteed!

The park is open to the public and volunteer work includes public demo's on venomous snakes, spiders and scorpions, responding to reptile call outs and rescues, necropsies, research and loads more. You really are thrown in at the deep end and after a few days will feel comfortable handling and talking to the public about africas most dangerous reptiles.

I honestly did have the time of my life. Volunteers stay in a small cabin on the reptile park site and spend alot of time with the park curators after work hours having bbq's and out herping at night!

I was involved in loads of rescues and was nailed by a 4m rock python, aswell as afew close calls with puff adders and snouted cobras. Im even going to be on a documentary on Discovery Channel being attacked by a croc in a reenactment.

I can't big this place up enough!!!
Save up some money and get out there!
For more info check out www.kameleonadventures.com


Feel free to pm me with any questions or if you want to see photos.
Thanks for reading, John

[DASSIE]

herping in SA is just amazing . Nice to see good old donald still living the dream . Any pics then????

[BoomSlang*]

Yea, hundreds of pics, just can work out how to put them on here! Any advice?????

[BoomSlang*]

I take it you have been to SA as well then? What were you doing over there?

[ashrob1993]

ive been to south african it was amazing... I went with british scouts for 3 weeks and spend one day at a reptile centre not sure if it was the same one... handling venemous snakes and non venemous feeding crocs best trip ever!

[Bebeop1980]

Wow looks amazing, very jealous.

[BoomSlang*]

It was rediculously amazing so many good memories!

One night we found 16 snakes on the roads! Loads of flat snakes the next morning though Alot of people aim for them in their cars, the only good snake is a dead snake. This is such a big problem out there. Of course the fact that people are allways trying to kill snakes means that people are allways being bitten by them. This fear combined with deeply rooted superstition leads to a lot of dead snakes.

During my time at the reptile park, we were called out to two rock python rescues where farm workers had attacked females with pick axes and snares while they were incubating. Fortunately, we managed to release the females elsewhere and remove the eggs to be incubated at the park. As an almost endangered species, these 100 eggs were super valuable. I wish i could have stayed longer to see their release!

[DASSIE]

Originally Posted by BoomSlang*

I take it you have been to SA as well then? What were you doing over there?

I am from SA and am part of the gang from back in the day . I still keep in touch with many of the crew in and around KZN . Learned the trade at what was FSP so have dealt with most of the guys in SA .

Glad you had a good time in SA ! its hard to describe the goings on to people as it a very cultural thing .