Paul Rowley

In the world of venom, Paul Rowley is a stellar name. If you don’t know him personally, you should without a doubt know his name and the work he does with venomous snakes. Paul is the U.K.’s premier venom extractor, working at Alistair Reid Venom Research Unit at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in Liverpool, England. LSTM is known the world over for its’ research and contributions in the production of antivenom.
A normal day at the office for Paul is the stuff of nightmares for some and the matter of dreams for others. Paul is a (normally) quiet, shy-at-first, unassuming type of guy. If you met Paul on the street you would never guess what he does for a living. And for a LIVING, I absolutely mean! Paul’s contributions to the planet are enormous. It’s estimated that he helps save several THOUSAND lives annually all over the globe, especially in notable places such as West Africa. ANNUALLY! The project has been in operation from around 2006 and has, so far, saved around 14,000 lives. And it’s not just human lives that Paul is concerned with. He genuinely cares for his charges at LSTM and they could be in no better hands. I sometimes think Paul takes better care of these venom pumps than he does of himself. Paul gives tours of his venom unit at LSTM to visitors, children, VIP’s and even Royalty! He is no stranger to the camera and his latest venture on film was to help Rom Whitaker in the making of: “One Million Snake Bites” for BBC in July of 2010. Paul is an integral part of “The Family,” and seems continually amazed at his own status!
Paul is the type of guy, who once you get to know, can make you laugh regularly. Sometimes he means to and other times he does something out of left field that you can’t help but snort at! I had the pleasure of taking Paul to Deadwood, South Dakota in October of 2010. During this trip I’m pretty sure I snorted at least a hundred times!
Come with me, back to Deadwood, and meet Paul Rowley.
It’s a beautiful, warm October evening in South Dakota, unusual for this time of year. The sun is setting over the mountains as we drive into the valley that is Deadwood. The smell of pine is heavy in the air. As I drive, I can see Paul looking in every direction soaking up each new sight. I am confident in my ability to find the parking garage downtown (if you know me, you will find the irony in this statement…). As I slowly navigate up the cobbled street, I flick my blinker to indicate we are turning right. I have no problem pulling into a space right in front and I park expertly. Unfolding ourselves from the car and stretching, I tell Paul that I am starving for steak! I look like any other “tourist” in jeans and a T-shirt, but Paul looks like is ready for a safari wearing his khaki long sleeve shirt tucked into his khaki field pants (and his ever present watch!). Walking with a quick pace from the garage out to the street, Paul blinks as he looks at the historic buildings on either side, their lights now coming on illuminating them against the falling darkness. “I just love the old west. I sometimes think I was born on the wrong continent.” He says.
We walk up the small side avenue to enter onto Main Street. We take no time to explore this side of the street and cross over to make the short walk to a fabulous steak house. My stomach growls loudly as we enter and the myriad smells of steak, potatoes and other foods waft around us. Paul glances at me and I laugh as I tell him: “I SAID I was hungry!!!!” Paul nods in agreement and catches the eye of the host. The host greets us and asks us to follow him to a table. I notice Paul’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise and wonder what caught his attention. We take in the atmosphere… wooden tables, padded booths, wagon wheel chandeliers and artfully scattered sawdust as we make the way to our table. Taking our seats, the host hands us our menu’s and tells us the waiter will be right over. Again, Paul looks surprised but I am too focused on the menu and getting food to ask questions. Perusing the menu and the fabulous sustenance offered therein, I glance up just as the young waiter arrives. Setting our glasses of water on the table, he flashes a high beam smile and introduces himself in a sing-song way. I am still looking at him when I hear Paul cough/laugh. I look at Paul to be sure I interpreted the sound accurately. Paul’s face is bright red and it’s obvious he is having some issues. I ask if he is ok in genuine concern. “Fine, fine. No worries!” he manages to blurt between coughs meant to disguise his laughter. The waiter tells us he will give us a few minutes to decide and that his name is “Derrick.” He asks if we would like anything else to drink. Paul decides on a local beer brew and I order a Diet Coke. Derrick notices Pauls’ accent and inquires about it. I am beginning to wonder if Paul is having some sort of stroke when I notice perspiration beading on his now burgundy forehead and note with interest that he can’t seem to maintain eye contact with Derrick… who, having just found out where Paul is from is now regaling us with how much he would LOVE to visit England. Paul’s mouth is executing a fascinating array of positions and it is obvious he is struggling. As the waiter leaves I, again, immediately ask Paul if he is ok. Unable to hold it in any longer, Paul laughs outright. “Did you hear his accent?!” Paul says. “Umm. Yeah. Texas, I think.” I answer. Paul is SO full of absolute mirth that it is contagious and I begin laughing, too. For no reason, this seems to inspire both of us into a fit of laughter, causing all the patrons in the immediate area to glance at us. This causes more laughter on our part and we can’t seem to stop! The waiter brings Paul’s microbrew and my coke over to the table and takes our orders. Paul quickly puts the beer to his mouth, in an effort to cover his laughter. I snort my order at Derrick; steak and a baked potato. Paul, trying gallantly to maintain his dry, English countenance, orders too… a buffalo burger. Derrick flicks a look of suspicion at both of us and suddenly we are again taken with a fit of laughter. Wiping the tears from my eyes as Derrick walks away to put our orders in with the chef, I decide to try to maintain some dignity and ask Paul about himself and his career.
Knowing what Paul does for a living, I can’t help but wonder if he has ALWAYS loved reptiles. I ask him about this. Paul glances at Derrick who is at the next table, and then shrugs his shoulders. Quietly, he answers:
“Reptiles are in my blood… as an infant I was drawn to reptiles, particularly snakes. My first ever memory was seeing some old snake sloughs that my Grandfather kept in a glass “trophy” cup (styled like the sort of sliver 2 handled cup that people are presented with, but made of glass) these where from the Dice snakes (Natrix tessellate) and Grass snakes (Natrix natrix) that my Father kept as a boy. I became fascinated with the fact that snakes could shed their skin in one go. Then when I got to see some live snakes, came the realization of just how much they can achieve without limbs and of course in the case of venomous snakes, their absolute killing power. I was hooked! My interest didn’t go unnoticed by my family and with my Grandmother already working at Chester Zoo it wasn’t long before I was a regular visitor to the wonderful reptile house. At the time, virtually every other cage had something venomous and exciting for me to look at. I pretty much decided there & then that I wanted to work with venomous snakes one day. 40 + years on and that is exactly what I do for a living.”
I nod at Paul, impressed that he has done precisely in life what he set out to do. I slowly stir the ice in my Diet Coke with my straw and tell Paul that my first reptile, when I was 4, was an icon of the American West… a Horny Toad. Then I inquire as to Paul’s first reptile.
“My first snake was a Red-Sided Garter in 1969. I think these where fairly common at the time but this one was given to me by the Curator of reptiles at Chester Zoo, so was kind of special. A few more snakes came my way via the zoo staff… sand boas and a reticulated python to name a few. I also kept slow-worms, wall lizards and terrapins etc.
A funny story though: My parents had a Greek tortoise back in the 1960’s before I was born, given to my Father while in the army by the Brigadier. We also had Pixie our Cairn terrier and she had some “toys” that were actually large beach-stones, pebble shaped but much larger & heavier. Pixie loved nudging these stones around the garden and she would bark for attention if one of her toys fell down a grid or some other such place where she couldn’t push it back out from. Sometimes though, the poor tortoise would receive the same treatment as those rocks and she’d be pushing the poor thing around the garden and we would have to go and rescue it!”
We both laugh at that memory and I become more curious about Paul’s experiences. Noting that he had some exclusive interactions and learning experiences at an early age, I ask Paul if he studied reptiles in school as well.
“I’m sure we covered reptiles in general terms along with natural history. I was the kid who always had their hand up in such classes. It didn’t matter if the topic was mammals, birds, reptiles, fish or inverts, young Rowley always had something to say. Other school children referred to our family home as the “Zoo” due to all the wonderful exotic creatures we had.”
With such a unique background with many animals to choose from, I want to know how Paul chose reptiles as his main focus.
“Yes, I seem to have a natural affinity to a wide range of different animals and I’ve certainly handled / worked with some interesting creatures over the years. I made a list once, it was long!
Reptiles and in particular venomous snakes have always been my main interest, along with crocodilians. Although I had been keeping reptiles privately for 10 years, it was when I took a job at Chester Zoo that I started on my career “path” to becoming a Herpetologist. I actually left school a month early and took days off in order to go and sit my exams. I didn’t go into further education and I certainly don’t consider myself gifted academically, but I do have an inquisitive mind and I learnt some good practical skills. I progressed to the point of being a Senior Reptile Keeper. After spending 14 years at Chester Zoo I was made redundant in 1992 due to a serious drop in visitor numbers. The reptile section went from having a Staff of 4 down to 2 leaving just the Curator of Reptiles and one female senior keeper who also happened to be his partner and it was obvious that he wasn’t going to let his girlfriend lose her job. A few months later the Curator phoned me up to say that there was a vacancy at LSTM in Liverpool. That was 1993 and I’m still here (for now). My “specialization” I guess is the husbandry of a major venomous snake collection held for the purpose of venom research. I hold the distinction within the UK of being the only person routinely extracting venom for research. I am considered to be a skilled snake handler, given the tens of thousands of hours spent doing this work I guess I ought to be eh?
One thing that became obvious last year while at a meeting in London Zoo was just how much freedom I happen to have when it comes to handling snakes. Obviously due to the fact that I am doing venom extractions I need to physically handle the snakes. This is so different to the situation in zoos and safari parks across the UK where zero handling is the norm. The audience were certainly impressed with my presentation detailing various “holds” and procedures, techniques that the Health & Safety do-gooders would see lost to all but myself and private venomous keepers.”

Paul has taught me a lot of handling techniques both outright and vicariously by me watching and listening. Paul trains many specialists in handling techniques and in venom extraction. Some of handling is a natural affinity but we all learn so much more when we can learn from experts. Paul describes one of his mentors:
“I was initially taught to handle venomous snakes by the two keepers (names are withheld due to privacy) who ran the Chester Zoo reptile section at the time. They were about as different as you could get in their approach to handling. One was a perfectionist who would try to plan every move in advance. She had taken 2 bad bites in her time (pygmy rattler and a rhino viper that cost her a finger tip) so was extremely cautious (if not over-cautious). The other, by contrast, was very relaxed and comfortable to the point of being caviler. My style developed as from a mix of the two.
With the move to LSTM came another mentor with a very different style. The Professor wasn’t a “snake-man” per se, so had developed techniques that were influenced by the “safety” of Staff within the Herpetarium rather than the snakes themselves. If a snake was on the floor he would be saying “grab it, grab it” and I’d say “It can’t go anywhere, there’s no rush!” and gently maneuver the snake around. I set about revising methods so as to use a more gentle, kinder way of “handling.” We had also been using a technique favored in Latin America to knock-out snakes such as Crotalus durissus prior to venom extraction involving Dry Ice. A trip to a local brewery where we were invited to “smell the hops fermenting” convinced me that carbon dioxide inhalation is not pleasant, so I set about designing my famous “neck-brace tool” which has proven to be a great success and is routinely used on large Bitis, Crotalids, Vipers.
Although I am pretty well established as a snake handler, I am always open to new ideas and techniques I have worked alongside Mark O’Shea, Tony Phelps and Wolfgang Wuster to name just a few people. They differ in their methods, but this provides for variations in techniques.
Probably one of the most notable stories in connection to my career involves the late John Foden. He was an "old school" snake man who was one of the founding members of the International Herpetological Society as well as Curator of Reptiles at Drayton Manor Park. He was a father figure to many of us younger guys & girls. I first met him when he would visit us at Chester Zoo. He was a larger than life character who always entertained us with his stories and jokes. When I moved to LSTM I had the honor of showing him our collection on several occasions. You could see the excitement in his face as I'd get various snakes out for him to play with. I would visit him at Drayton Manor and here is where the story unfolds. I had been helping him clean out various cages at his house and we had worked through quite a number of snakes until we came to one young Australian Elapid (a King Brown IIRC). John was really struggling with this snake and I was acting as ”back-up handler.” I don't know what came over me but I said "oh, come here" as with one quick swipe of my hook I had the snake back in its box and the lid securely fastened. Proud of myself on my reflexes and hooking skills I looked at John and it hit me like a sledgehammer! I suddenly felt so bad! I had just upstaged the grandmaster, shown-up one of the most respected snake-men I knew. I apologized to John and a broad smile spread across his face. He said: "Paul, don't apologize, don't feel embarrassed. You’re a dammed good snake handler, you’re handling them every day and it really shows. No need to say sorry!" That was a special moment. One I will never forget.

Later when John was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he asked if I would take his snakes when the “time” came. I felt honored that he saw in me someone who cared about snakes as much as he did. On the day following his death I was there at the Park honoring his last wishes. Even that day, he must have been laughing from above as Mark O’Shea and I were sorting through various cages and trap-boxes. Thing was with John’s private collection, none of the cages when labeled. It was a case of “What do you think is in here? Dunno, let’s open it!” Then “jeeeze” as we were confronted by a fairly large King Cobra. We ended up taking 3 Kings that day along with plenty of other interesting snakes. 11 years on and there are a number of those snakes still here in the collection.”

I smile at the affection I hear in Paul’s voice. As with most of us, snake handling and the people in the hobby and profession are not just a way we spend time “at work.” It is a way of life. We eat, breathe and sleep the field of Herpetology. I like the laughter I see in Paul’s eyes when he describes his little “adventure” with Mark O’Shea and it perks my curiosity. I ask Paul about the funniest thing that’s ever happened revolving around his career.
“Hmm, there was the time I was cleaning out the croc pool. It had been a busy weekend and there was all sorts of rubbish that the public had thrown into the pool. I told the curator I was heading off to clean the “empty croc” pool. Because it was empty I didn’t bother taking a broom just a black bin (trash) sac and a pair of litter pickers. Working away quite happily. All of a sudden this croc came flying out of the water at me. Trapped in a corner, shaking a black bin sac at the croc while trying to climb backwards over the wall! I went back into the reptile house and demanded to know why there was a croc in a supposedly “empty” pool. “Oh, they were fighting so we had to separate them, forgot to tell you, sorry!” It’s funny now but not at the time!”
Suddenly, Paul sits straight up with a laugh. He laughs outright as he tells another anecdote:
“Another time that was funny was hearing a terrible scream from the far end of the Reptile house.. I ran down the corridor thinking that the female curator had been bitten by something venomous. I found her at the back of the Rhino Iguana enclosure quite obviously upset. The cause? A banana spider! Not much bigger than our common house spiders! In time we learned to recognize when she had “found” another spider!”
Paul shakes his head in mirth as I laugh. Glancing over Paul’s shoulder, I see the horrified look on the tourists faces in the next booth. I guess some people just don’t appreciate a good spider story. Shaking my head, I glance at several other booths and notice that people are staring in rapt attention. Our conversation has not gone un-noticed. As I am sneaking covert glances at the other tables, Derrick reappears with our supper. The plates are piled high in a breath taking presentation and the warm, intense smell causes my stomach to rumble loudly, again. Paul glances at me and quirks one eyebrow. I smile and delicately shrug my shoulders as I dive in! I am midway to my mouth with my first much coveted bite when my eyes land on Paul’s plate. I freeze. I blink. I blink again. Paul is attacking his Buffalo burger in a MOST British manner; with knife and fork. As this sight soaks in, I begin snorting in earnest. Paul looks at me, surprised, and I can only point to the fork and knife he is wielding. “What?” he inquires. I merely snort again as I take my bite of food and chew thinking I have died and gone to heaven. I watch Paul carefully maneuver the bite of Buffalo to his mouth and watch with interest as he tastes the unique flavor. Paul processes the bite, swallows and nods his approval as he cuts another piece. I snort again and roll my eyes at him. Paul leans forward and says: “What? Do you expect me to actually eat this with my hands?!” The comment is made in absolute sincerity and I respond with: “Well, that’s what we American’s do!” Paul shakes his head at me and continues to cut his burger. My attention slides back to the people surrounding us and their interest in our conversation. Thinking to really give them a good story, I ask Paul about the scariest moment he’s ever had with reptiles.
“Bites obviously rank pretty highly on the list . I’ve never thought that I might die. We had a young Sri-Lankan doctor working with us when I happened to take my second Crotalus durissus bite. Ariarne had helped treat snake-bite victims back home and insisted on accompanying me to the hospital, the poor girl was clearly stressed that I might die or something. I ended up having to comfort and reassure her I was going to be OK.
I had a rather scary moment one morning (July 2008). I was at work early and rushing around as I needed to get down to the West Midlands Safari Park later that day to present a talk.. I worked my way through assist feeding 13 young King Cobras. As I got to the last snake, I suddenly felt ill. It took all my reserves of strength to fight blacking out with a King Cobra in my hand. Somehow I managed to get the snake into a box before collapsing, wondering what the hell had just happened. I carefully examined my hands for any sign of puncture wounds in case I might have been scratched by a fang and then took myself over to the hospital. No sign of envenomation. They thought it might have been dehydration, but I’m not so sure! The scary part was NOT knowing why!
Another scary moment was while out in Cameroon doing some voluntary work for the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund. My friend Chris ran the project and had invited me out to teach his staff how to handle venomous snakes and crocs at the zoo. I’d find time to wander around on my own looking for herps, but it was a bit too populated with people. Chris suggested that Charles, an ex soldier who we hired as “security,” should take Susan, a pretty Welsh blonde and I out to some remote area so we could search for snakes . After a few hours driving in a battered old Land-Rover that broke down and I helped fix, we arrived at the chosen site. Charles wandered off and spent the time with some army buddies while Susan and I wandered around searching. We found several snakes including a Night Adder. Finally, in late afternoon, we set off back to the house. We related to Chris what we found and where we had been searching. Chris suddenly went rather pale and began yelling at stupid Charles calling him all sorts of colorful names. Seeing the confusion on our faces, he turned to Susan and I and said: “Do you know what that bloody stupid bugger has done? He only sent you pair wandering around an area laden with Land Mines!!!!!”
Another scary moment was seeing a friend put her hand into a cage with a “dead” Gaboon Viper. She reached in with a snake hook and moved the Gaboon first, as you always should. The snake appeared dead to both of us. Neither of us are exactly novices, so we trusted our judgment at that moment. Upon determining the state of the snake (or so we thought) we agreed that the mass should be identified (crudely at this point). We both thought the snake was dead; she was reaching in to palpate a mass on the snake to see if it was an air pocket or solid tissue. She had the entire hind half of this rather large Gaboon in her hands and then he slowly turned his head to look at her. We both jumped a foot and she let go immediately. The snake never tried to strike her but she was very lucky. If you have worked with bitis, you understand how fast their strikes really are. Lesson learnt that day I think….. I would much rather take a bite myself than allow someone I cared about to be hurt (if you are wondering, yes, that was the Venom Angel he is speaking of).
I’m not that scared of dying and I certainly don’t go to work thinking I might end up in hospital or a wooden box! “
The reaction from the surrounding booths is exactly what I had hoped for. There is a range of emotion showing on every single face. Disgust, horror, fascination… but each one staring in rapt attention. I smile my thousand watt smile at people and encourage Paul to keep talking. I ask him what species is his favorite to work with and what is the most difficult.
“Well, I reckon my favorite species is anything with fangs! I really like the variety of working with different species. We have around 26 species at the moment (at LSTM) which is rather low. The most I ever had at one time was 50 species and 350 specimens. I particularly like our eyelash vipers and mambas.”
Paul takes a quick scan around the room and then leans close and says loudly, in a conspiratorial manner,
“I’d also like to try handling a sexy female vampire… they apparently have fangs too… not sure what species they are though!” He then breaks out into laughter and winks at me. I chuckle and encourage him to think about the most difficult species. Paul takes a few moments to think, pursing his lips and letting out a small sigh. As the answer comes to him, he quickly glances up at me and snaps his fingers, saying:
“For sheer bad attitude probably Sri-Lankan Russel’s Vipers, Daboia russelli.
For risk, the Malayan Kraits Bungarus candidus, no antivenom. They are the sort of species I psyche myself up for and take extra care when handling for venom extractions.”
Knowing his contributions in teaching venom extraction, I ask Paul about the people he has worked with and trained.
Some such as John Foden have sadly passed on. Others are now more friends than peers, B.G.F. (Bryan Grieg Fry), David Williams, Mark O’Shea, Rom Whitaker, Tony Phelps, Wolfgang Wuster and the Venom Angel!!! Last but not least are some of my “new” friends via FaceBook.
The venom I have extracted from our snakes has, with the help of our small venom research unit and overseas collaborators, gone on to save thousands of lives across West Africa.
I have, on too many occasions, “taken the call” telling me that someone has been bitten. I have been able to help out and ensure that the person has received the fastest and best possible care. It is really gut retching when it happens but I try my best to stay calm and professional.
Whenever possible I like to help and encourage newer (venomous) keepers or the younger generation of herpers.
I enjoy teaching / mentoring people whenever I can. I also helped to design an accredited snake-handling course for the Home Office (UK government) where I teach students who are going to be working with venomous snakes, generally in relation to University based field work.
I do get to meet a wide range of interesting people through my work, TV celebrities, VIP’s and even Royalty. There have also been opportunities for me to get involved in TV work. Another aspect has been the chance to get involved with field work / research projects in some pretty remote areas, the Sahara and Cameroonian rain forests, India etc.
My least favorite part would be seeing how stupid some novice reptile owners can be, for example snakes that have been burnt by heaters because the rest of the cage is too dammed cold.“

Paul is a vital member of “The Family” and I ask him specifically about that.
“I have always felt a kindred spirit towards any fellow venomous keepers either private or professional and I do care when something happens to anyone of them no matter how well I might know them personally, or not, as the case might be. Over the years I have got to know some of the world’s most influential members of the venomous community and I feel honored to be able to say that some of these people are personal friends.

The concept of the “family” is relatively new to me but I would have to say that getting to know the key member, the one who holds us all together, to become her friend, meet and physically spend time with her are memories that I will always cherish!”

Speaking of family, Paul and I discuss some of the newer members and the herp. community in general. So many changes have taken place over the last two decades in our field.
“Two things really stand out.” Paul says.
“Just how far things have progressed in relation to the amount of help, advice and information that is now freely available via the internet, forums, and magazines. The fact that contact can be made via e-mail, forums, facebook etc. with some of the world’s leading figures within the herp community. That you can be chatting with someone the other side of the world, that is amazing! Maybe some people take this availability for granted and communication (as in snail mail) has lost some of the respect it once had? By far the biggest change is the sheer number of women / girls who are now involved with reptile keeping both privately and professionally. I enthusiastically support this gradual change for the better. I now notice when giving talks, attending shows or meetings that the gender mix is pretty even. I am not one of those blokes who think reptiles, especially venomous are the preserve of men, far from it. I actually prefer working with women. They don’t have the “ego” and are often more gentle and considerate of their animals. Courtney Roles is a good example of a young woman new to the hobby. She works hard and she asks questions from everyone around her that she respects. She doesn’t argue the advice and she puts it into practice. It’s a pleasure sharing knowledge with someone who is respectful and learns.”
Thinking of Courtney, I ask Paul what his advice would be to someone just now starting out in the field.
“It is good to be relaxed and comfortable around venomous snakes but never become complacent! Remember that no matter how long you might have been handling venomous snakes, there are going to be the times when a snake does something different to what you expect...so expect the unexpected!
I honestly can’t think of anything reptile related that I wouldn’t do again…. even being bitten can have it’s positive side in that I now appreciate first-hand what is involved, the pain, shock, stress and treatment. This gives me the opportunity to talk with students and other visitors about the effects of snake-bites. I, in no way, want to encourage anyone to handle venomous snakes without first doing the explicit research involved. This also includes owning nonvenomous snakes and understanding them fully before any attempt what-so-ever is made with a “hot.” My advice here is also to listen to what you are being instructed on and take the advice from experts. They got to be where they are for a reason. If you are going to throw out their advice then you should expect to get a bite and possibly death, not to mention you make a fool out of yourself in the process.”

As our supper comes to and end and the time to go for an evening stroll in Deadwood approaches, Paul shakes his head, coming out of his thoughts. He turns a serious eye on me and tells me what he would really like for the future and how he would like to be remembered.
“There are two things I really want to do and they are inextricably linked ….. I would like to run a public venomous snake display / combined venom lab to provide both education and a valuable product (venom) for research and to have and a wonderful woman as my partner or wife, someone who shares a love of reptiles, who understands the “venomous thing”…. Someone who is just as capable as me and is able to love me for who I am….. If it can only be “one thing,” I guess it would be to meet the (single) woman with her own venomous collection and take it from there.
Funny thing is you never really get to know what people REALLY think about you until you are dead and then it is a bit late!
Someday, I’d like to be remembered as a good snake handler….and someone who did something worthwhile. I guess that will do.”

For further information on the school where Paul works, please see the following site:
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
http://www.lstmliverpool.ac.uk

Oh! And what did Paul think about the Buffalo Burger? “I Really enjoyed it, tasted very good!”
Deadwood? “Fantastic place, full of real “History!” Signs gave details of famous events that had taken place on the high street. One highlight was having our photos taken in period costumes… even then I had to carefully check out the cowboy hats to make sure I had “my” style.”
*The Venom Angel would like to salute Paul for his bravery in taking this small trip with me. Paul didn’t scream one time while I was driving and there was ample opportunity for him to do so! “I” even screamed one time at my OWN driving! I lost a hubcap off my car right outside of Deadwood as we were leaving if that gives you any clue. Paul, you are brave to work with so many venomous animals on a daily basis and you are brave to ride in a car with ME driving!

.....” My eyes wide, sitting in rapt attention, I digest his descriptions and find that his moments far exceed my own. I recall a time I had a moment with a 20 foot tiger retic on camera, and share this with Rom. Shaking his head and laughing, Rom quickly sits up and with bright eyes full of mischief describes one of his own on-camera incidents.

“We were following this gold poacher into a protected forest on Osa peninsula, me and the whole film crew, Brit cameraman, Chinese/Brit sound man, two guides, gold miner, looking for fer-de-lance and anything else we could find. The miner led to a cave which they had been re-excavating (very dangerously, no supports, nothing) to find gold and he said they often see snakes, maybe because of all the bats. So the cameraman says 'You go first Rom, in case there is really a snake, camera rolling'. I put my head torch on, duck my head and proceed into the darkness, thinking 'mmmm, fer-de-lance'. Suddenly there is a blur of movement from just beside me and the wide open white gape of a snake's jaws next to my elbow. 'F********K' I bleat, and recover my cool after seeing and saying 'It's a bloody tree boa!'. So Richard, the cameraman says, 'can we do that again? that f**k isn't going to wash with Nat Geo TV'. I argue with him, tell him to bleep it, people won't lip read anyway in that darkness, etc. and so on. But we did it again anyway, from several angles.”

Speaking of his film work, I am once again reminded of how Janaki describes Rom’s adventures:
“Dissatisfied with the reach of his books, papers, brochures and talks, Rom was caught by the magic of both television and the silver screen. He teamed up with old school friends, Louise and John Riber and film maker Shekar Dattatri to make a series of movies on snakes, snakebite, tree planting, rainforests and the Irula Cooperative he had helped set up. Eventually he produced a children's feature film in Tamil called 'Boy and the Crocodile' - India's most popular children's film to date and winner of the UNICEF’s Best Feature Film award in 1989. He travelled to the United States to sell more film ideas and in the corridors of National Geographic Television met Carol and Richard Foster who were keen on returning to India where Richard Foster was brought up. Together they produced 'Rat Wars' for NGT. Later Rom followed that with his highly ambitious 'King Cobra' - an Emmy award winner. It was the first film made featuring a single species of snake and most of the sequences were filmed for the first time ever. Twenty more films followed including 'Spunky Monkey', 'Thunder Dragons', 'Muggers of Sri Lanka', 'Snake Hunter' for National Geographic Explorer.

"Feeling a bit over-stretched, Rom quit the Croc Bank in 2001 as Director; he still remains its Managing Trustee. Recently he and his co-author, Ashok Captain, came out with India's first comprehensive color field guide to snakes, published by Draco Books, run by Rom’s partner, Janaki Lenin. He continues his interest in spreading conservation awareness through film making and recently developed and presented several films made for BBC, Animal Planet and National Geographic by Icon Films in Bristol, England. These include: 'The King Cobra and I', 'Supersize Crocodiles', 'Dragon Chronicles' and 'Crocodile Blues'. The latter film is about the plight of India's critically endangered gharial crocodile, the conservation of which is an ongoing preoccupation of this reptile man with a mission. His most recent film is ‘Million Snakebites’ documenting the problems of rural Indians, 50,000 of whom die from snakebite each year, and his efforts to mitigate these tragedies and facilitate the production of antivenom serum.”

Shaking my head in wonder, I inwardly appreciate the many experiences we all have, gratefully, off-camera. I am glad the newer generation has not witnessed many of the spectacular moments “The Family” has displayed! I decide to ask about the current world of herpetology and the massive shifts he has witnessed.
“It's been growing by leaps and bounds that’s for sure. Earlier there were more academics and now there are more hobbyists. Herp people were always a bit weird (thank gods), but the newer generation has some real live wires with incredible senses of humor along with their sharp minds.”

I agree with this assessment because I, too, have witnessed the same phenomena. In thinking of what I would have liked to hear when I started out, I ask Rom about advice for the newer generation, like Chris M. Law. Chris is a dedicated, intelligent and fun young member of “The Family” and soaks up any advice given to him by us ‘elders!’ (Chris is extremely well versed in crocodilian care and we are all proud of him.)

As eloquent as ever, Rom complies with a heartfelt answer. “I guess one bit of advice is to put into it just as much or more than you get out of it. I always think kharmically I guess, even though I don't believe in anything that even stinks slightly of religion. It's just natural to think that if you do bad s**t you will (eventually) receive bad s**t and the converse works too.”

I am in complete agreement. Stretching my back and putting the more logical side of my brain into gear, I begin thinking of some of the questions that people frequently ask ME. I perform a difficult sideways glance (I like to call it my IBS. Inconspicuous Blonde Spy glance) at Rom and decide that he is fair game and should also put some thought into answering these same questions.

"What is your favorite animal to work with?"

“Well, I usually expect myself to reply 'king cobra of course', and indeed it is a joy to behold and to be with. But as with questions about favorite anything I don't restrict myself to individual species. It's kind of generic. Along with loving my gal I have this collective love for the opposite sex. So it is with reptile species: I have really fond memories of working with a host of crocs, turtles, snakes and lizards, and even some frogs and salamanders!”

Ignoring the blush I know is now gracing my face and causing mirth in Rom, I grunt and continue on the subject of species other than humans. Knowing full well what it takes to work with king cobras and crocodilians, I can’t help but ask Rom: What is the most difficult species he’s worked with?

“The gharial, initially because we didn't know what made it tick, how to breed it and now because it's river specialization is giving it more grief than any other croc in the world and we really don't feel too good about its future since all our rivers are virtually f**ked.”
If you are not familiar with the massive undertaking Rom has taken on regarding the gharial, I can’t describe it any better than the following description based on his bio on from Wikipedia:
His love of crocodilians has led Rom to currently coordinate an effort to save the gharial, a critically endangered species of crocodylia on the brink of extinction, with less than 250 individuals left in Indian waters. On December 27, 2010, the Minister for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh, during a visit with Rom at the Madras Crocodile Bank, announced the formation of a National Tri-State Chambal Sanctuary Management and Coordination Committee for gharial conservation on 1,600 km2 of the National Chambal Sanctuary for Gharials along the Chambal River in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The Committee is comprised of representatives of the states Water Resources Ministries, State Departments of Irrigation and Power, Wildlife Institute of India, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, the Gharial Conservation Alliance, Development Alternatives, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Worldwide Fund for Nature and the Divisional Forest officers of the three states. The Committee plans strategies for protection of gharials and their habitat. This involves further research on the species and its ecology and socio-economic evaluation of dependent riparian communities. Funding for this new initiative will be mobilized as a sub-scheme of the ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’ in the amount of Rs.50 million to Rs.80 million (USD 1 million to 1.7 million) each year for five years. This project has long been advocated by Rom.
In reading this description, Rom made the following correction: with less than 250 individuals left in Indian waters. SHOULD BE: less than 200 breeding adults.
The only BETTER description of Rom’s work, once again comes from Janaki: “Rom extended his interest to other beleaguered reptiles - crocodiles, sea turtles, and lesser known exotic reptilian creatures around the country. He wrote about creatures that nobody had even paid attention to before and started realizing that India’s rapid development was fragmenting their habitats. Conservation was still in its infancy in India, but when Rom and colleagues hit the headlines with their campaign to save Silent Valley, an iconic Kerala rainforest, the movement started snowballing. Then Rom set up Madras Crocodile Bank, a gene pool for all the world's crocodilians and now India's premier research centre for herpetology. Many endangered crocs were bred here and rehabilitated to the wilds, many young careers in herpetology were launched, many forests were saved by relentless campaigning.
It was at this point that Rom discovered the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. India guarded these islands jealously and no foreigner had been allowed to work in these islands for a few decades since the British left India. And that's where Rom wanted to go. The price was his US citizenship which he gave up for the privilege of visiting and working in the islands. The kind of "development" that the Indian government was exporting to the islands prompted Rom to put down an organization there, Andaman and Nicobar Island Environmental Team (ANET). ANET did everything - coral reef surveys, botanical surveys, mammalian surveys, island ecology studies, besides sea turtle and crocodile surveys. Today ANET remains the premier environmental NGO in the archipelago and is called the Centre for Island Ecology.
Rom was then contracted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to help set up a network of tribal crocodile rearing stations across Papua New Guinea. Rom surveyed the remote swamps of the country to assess the wild population, worked out the logistics and set up a Management Plan for the country over two hectic years. Then FAO sent him back to the island, to the Indonesian administered Irian Jaya, to do similar work. Subsequent years saw him travel to Bangladesh to see if a lizard leather industry was sustainable (he concluded that it wasn’t), to Mozambique to set up a village level croc farming operation, to East Malaysia to survey the wilds for crocs. He was canoeing up remote streams, jumping out of helicopters onto croc nests, trekking over mountain ranges in search of elusive reptiles. Rom was Asia's reptile man: straddling conservation, scientific study, education, sustainable utilization, tribal welfare and captive breeding of rare species.

"If you could do ONE thing… anything… what would it be?"

“Get someone good to pick up and run with all these bloody things I've started and the ideas that are making my brain explode on a daily basis!”

"What has been your biggest obstacle?"

“Only 24 hours in a day and getting the right people to help me accomplish my driving need to get the 'right' things done (not to mention the small item of finding the money to do them!).”
We can all appreciate the need for funding in the world of animals. I sometimes think that lack of money is the Mother-of-Invention in our field, however. Thinking on the lines of the various “creative tools” I have seen pop up in our field over the years brings up the thought of what we can do differently both with animals and with people.
There are many situations those of us who have been around herps would do differently. As we look back on our accomplishments and learning lessons (I refuse to call them failures), certain situations come to the forefront. For Rom however, there are things in life he would choose not to do again both in the profession and in life in general.

“Lotsa things: get married, get snakebit, go to a Rotary Club meeting and the list goes on…”
Provided with this description, I can’t help but laugh in sympathy. The fact that these three situations rate in unison in Rom’s mind is not lost on me. His mention of Rotary is somewhat deceiving because working with wildlife is not the sole path Rom has chosen to travel. His intensive work in wildlife has also given him the ability to provide important humanitarian contributions. He was the founder of the Irula Snake-Catchers Cooperative (1978) in Chennai. The Cooperative was conceived to rehabilitate the Irula tribe who are known for their expertise in catching snakes.The Irula were severely impacted economically when the ban of snakeskin collection and trade was instituted. Rom taught the Irula tribe to get involved in extracting snake venom for the production of antivenom serum and toxicological research. When discussing this major humanitarian achievement, Rom says: “I guess besides creating awareness for reptiles and facilitating conservation action for the critters, my most original and helpful act was to help create the Irula Snake-Catchers Cooperative Society; it helped a bunch of really savvy and cool snake hunting (but very, very poor) tribals find a livelihood after the snakeskin industry was banned here and it now produces most of the venom used to make antivenom serum in India today.”

This short answer shows how Rom took to heart Bill Haast’s legacy: “Work quietly and doggedly, don't react to other people and (though he wouldn't have put it that way) 'just keep on truckin'.”

Rom and I sit together in companionable silence for a few moments. Bringing the interview to a close, I ask Rom if he sees the proverbial glass as half empty or half full. The answer he provides brings tears to my eyes. “Well it's half full much of the time, but I can't help but think that my cup runneth over a fair bit of the time.”

I pull my legs up and rest my chin on my knees. I wrap my arms around my legs and look up high in the sky gazing ‘beyond’ and ask Rom my last and most serious question:

“Rom, what do you want to be remembered for?”

Without missing a beat, the answer, in Rom’s gentle voice, wafts around me and settles into my awaiting ears:

"That f**ker knew how to enjoy life, oh yeah!"

Rom has authored hundreds of scientific papers and pop articles plus several books on reptiles, especially on snakes, including the comprehensive field guide, titled: “Snakes of India - The Field Guide" in 2004. I am a beaming, proud owner of a copy with a personal note that I cherish. My advice to you is to add this amazing work to your collection. Even if you are not a herper by hobby or profession, you will love this book. Available on amazon.com.
In February 2011, BBC Natural World followed Rom during his ongoing research into the causes and prevention of snake bites in India. Many snakes were considered, but one in particular, Echis carinatus sochereki of the deserts of Rajasthan, (Americans see map), held the most attention. By collecting the venom of local vipers Rom and his team are facilitating research on geographic variation in venoms that will help to produce an effective antivenom that is desperately needed in this locale.
Rom in a nutshell:
In 2005 Rom established the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station in Karnataka for research, conservation and environmental education in the Biodiversity Hotspot of India’s Western Ghats, the magical chain of forest-clad hills where he spent his school years. There he is heading a long term study on the ecology and behavior of the king cobra and cataloging the biodiversity of the region for which he received the prestigious Whitley Fund for Nature Award (UK). Rom received two more awards in 2009, one indigenous: the Salim Ali Award from the Bombay Natural History Society and one from Switzerland: the Rolex Award for Enterprise for his project on facilitating the establishment of a network of rainforest research conservation and bases around India. All of this keeps Rom and his dynamic team very, very busy. Rom also wants me to add that he gets to wear a real flash watch on which he promptly scratched the hell out of the crystal! ** Source: Janaki Lenin
Romulus Whitaker is a Member of the Advisory Committee and the Editorial Board of the Bombay Natural History Society, as well as corresponding member, The Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, USA; Advisor, Irula Tribal Women's’ Welfare Society, Afforestation Project; Member, Centre for Science and Education, New Delhi; Member, Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad and Founder-Member, Tamil Nadu Society for Social Forestry Research. He is also Chief Technical Advisor, Irula Snake Catchers’ Industrial Cooperative Society; Convenor, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Andaman and Nicobar Islands Chapter; and Founder – Member, Palni Hills Conservation Council. Rom is Honorary Consultant, International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources/Species Survival Commission (IUCN/SSC), Vice Chairman (Western Asia), IUCN/SSC Crocodile Specialist Group, Member, IUCN/SSC Indian Subcontinent Reptile and Amphibian Group and Member, IUCN/SSC Sea Turtle Specialist Group. **Source: Wikipedia

Credits: My many thanks go to Rom and Janaki for all of their help and contributions to this article. Rom was very open and willing to share his humor and memories, and Janaki provided fabulous information in a very well written work of art. Rom even took working with “the blonde” in stride (I promise I will look at a map, but I am not promising to understand it. I have been known to get lost in an intersection, for God’s sake.). In an email, Rom said: “I sincerely want geography-challenged beings all over the world to see where things are happening that we're talking about. It's good to know that the huge saw-scaled vipers are from a magical desert the Thar Desert, of Rajasthan where all the women seem to wear brilliant reds and yellows (which are so wild even a colour-blind fellow can appreciate them). Or that the Croc Bank is situated on a southeastern Indian beach that was (somewhat gently, thank the gods) lashed by the '04 tsunami.” From the bottom of my heart, I am proud to have Rom and Janaki as my “ Family.”

My sincere thanks to Paul Rowley for his invaluable contributions after having worked with Rom last summer on the collection of venom for the “Million Snakebites” BBC film. Paul also provided photos that are incredible. Without his support and contributions, my work would not have been nearly as thorough. Also, thank you for all your support, Paul.

Thank you to Chris M. Law for guessing the answer to the clues I posted on the identity of the Star of the first story. I affectionately call Chris “QB” and he has been a member of “The Family” for years. I am proud of him and look forward to watching him soar in the world of herpetology.

And finally, thank you to Dr. Robert Sprackland who gently pushed me into trying my writing. Not only did he get me going, he provided insight, editing and massive moral support to keep me on track. I would not have been able to do this without his help. Always willing to give of his time and energy, I could not ask for a better Mentor.

Other Sources: Wikipedia, Romulus Whitaker, Biography
www. agumberainforest.com
www.madrascrocodilebank.org
www. draco-india.com
www.gharials.org
www.anetindia.org

Copyright © 2011, Dawn Tipton.
This story is protected under copyright law. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

WHO WILL BE NEXT?
It could be YOU! Watch the Venom Angel page for clues!

ROMULUS WHITAKER
Romulus Whitaker is a name synonymous with herpetology. You won’t get far into the hobby or the profession without hearing his name. Rom is best known the world over for his work with king cobras and crocodilians, most especially, gharials. You may have heard of a little place called the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust Centre that Rom founded, located on the southeast coast of India. http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/india_map.html
Not only is Rom at the top of my “Hero” list, he took the time to live in Wyoming and attend the University of Wyoming (we just won’t mention that he completed his Bachelor’s Degree in San Diego, eh um, or maybe we will). You all know that Wyoming is my home state, so this is a point that was easy for me to connect with Rom on. Obviously, a man of high culture!
His well-known film "King Cobra" produced for the National Geographic Channel, won many awards including an Emmy Award for Outstanding News and Documentary Program Achievement in 1998. Not to be overlooked, however, this film was also nominated for the Best Cinematography Award at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival in 1997!
You can find a plethora of information surrounding Rom’s work. Many articles and shows have been produced about Romulus Whitaker and his contributions to the world of herpetology. If you have never had the extreme pleasure of speaking with Rom, reading his published work or visiting the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust Centre, let me introduce you to this amazing man. I want you to know not just his work, but the man behind the work.
It’s warm outside and very sunny. Cobalt blue (incidentally, Rom’s favorite color, though he admits he is color blind) skies are overhead without a hint of a cloud. The sounds of solemn geese honking and dogs barking in excitement fill the air. It’s very warm, but the whisper of a breeze gently tugs at our hair and flows over our skin to cool us off as we sit in the welcome shade of one of the thousands of trees in the jungle brush surrounding the farm Rom and his partner, Janaki Lenin, call home.
Pull up a pillow, sit down with us, get comfortable and let Romulus Whitaker tell you his story.
Rom is a (very) handsome, (ordinarily) gentle, (exceedingly) intelligent, (extremely) well-spoken member of “The Family” who always carries himself with (multi-faceted) grace. Rom has a fantastic sense of humor and a love of colorful wording (both in English and in Tamil, the local language in his adopted state, Tamil Nadu, India—look at a map, Americans). I think he likes the shock value. He is one of the few people who can make me blush and laugh at the same time. There is never a question too small for Rom and he provides answers in easy-to-understand ways. If you are lucky, you get a little sarcasm and irony thrown in for flavor. The love for his career, the profession, the animals and India come through in all that Rom does.

Rom is dear to me not just because he is a herp hero, or because he spent time in Wyoming, but on a highly personal level within “The Family” because we share a unique genetic make-up and a unique place among native “tribes.” Rom carries a strong Viking appearance, coming from his Swedish genetics, just as I carry the coloring of my maternal Scottish/Viking ancestry. In and of itself this is no fascinating point, but when you discover the similar position we each occupy among Native Peoples (Rom, among Indian tribals, myself among Native Americans), it gets a lot more personal. As a matter of fact, one of the first questions I ever read surrounding Rom was: “How is he a white Indian?” That question, for obvious reasons, stuck in my mind and it happens to be the very same question Rom first asked ME.
Rom’s mind works bullet-quick. Envision the sparkle in his warm eyes, the well-earned laugh lines creasing in the corners and the slow, easy smile spreading across his face as he softly describes himself:
“Single-minded, sex, (soft) drugs, rock 'n roll, irreverence for anything organized: crime, religion, sports, academics, violence (armies and wars), politics and the like.”
In asking Rom his “official” title, that familiar sparkle in his eyes becomes shockingly bright! A sneaky glance at my hair sends a warning shiver down my spine and I find myself grinning in anticipation of his answer.
“Director, Agumbe Rainforest Research Station. Personal title? Mister, maybe? Or Dufus? I was blonde too, before my hair turned white, and I'm half Scandihooligan ('squarehead' in USA racial profile parlance).”
Laughing, I boldly decide to ask Rom a direct question that I love to know about everyone: What do you want people to know about you? Rom looks directly in my eyes and says very seriously: “Well, if you are a rich philanthropist with a penchant for reptiles I want you to know that your support for our herp and people work here in India is money very well spent.” With the same serious expression, a sudden wink appears shifting into innocent doe eyes. “If you are a sexy lady you should know that my partner can be fairly dangerous, so use my undercover email i.d. to send me love letters.”
Letting that comment turn my face a lovely shade of purple and ignoring my bulging eyes and slight wheezing, Rom settles back and shift’s into a relaxed interview mode. His warm eyes miss nothing and his eagle-like focus takes in his surroundings continually. It is with this relaxed but alert image that he begins describing the first interaction he remembers with reptiles in New York state, where he was born. Though sad, it is similar to many of the memories we all have.
“I was catching bugs, spiders and creatures under rocks near streams in northern NY state at age 4 (1947) when I came upon my first snake, a Dekay's snake I think. Before I could do anything my little compatriots from the village of Hoosick pounded it to death with rocks. I collected it anyway in a mason jar and brought it back to show my ma,Doris Norden (she was a single ma) and older sis, Gail. They were pretty downcast and I guess I felt pretty bad as a result. They said it would be nice to see it alive and I guess that was a pivotal moment and I never looked back: garter snakes, ribbon snakes, ring-necked snakes, milk snakes and of course Dekay's snakes were found, brought home, kept for a while in a converted aquarium (thanks to my ma) and then let go.”
I ask Rom what the first “live” reptile he remembers catching was and the reply he provides shows his quintessential humor: “One of the above mentioned snakes, probably a garter. I remember being the only one who didn't mind getting crapped and musked all over, sort of like when I got older and married and had kids to look after; their s**t was ok but another baby's s**t?Urk!” I stare at Rom for a few moments, mouth agape. Not fazed in the least, he glances at me and wiggles his eyebrows. With a deep breath, I move forward a bit in his life… but not as far forward as dealing with his kids’ diapers.
When Rom moved to India at the age of 7, it didn’t take him long to become engrossed with the wealth of animals that India offers. As a curious and intelligent youth, Rom made it his daily mission to interact with local tribals and “play” with local wildlife.“It was Natesan, Chockalingam, Rajamani and other Irula tribals who taught me snake and jungle lore like no one else could hope to.”
I laugh outright at the image I have of Rom “chasing down” his first Russell’s viper. Never let it be said that creativity is lacking in our field and now I feel I should follow in Rom’s footsteps and try his particular method of catching a venomous snake! I do NOT advise YOU to do the same, however.
“My school was a Xtian missionary school in South India and there were no particular studies in herps, only basic biology in 10th grade. However, every spare moment I had (or garnered) I was away from that school out in the hills and jungles of the Western Ghats, camping, fishing, hunting and, of course, always an eye open for snakes and lizards. I was 13 (1956) on a camp with my school mates when I found my first hot snake, a gorgeous Russell's viper and scooped it out of a lake with a friend's butterfly net and put it in my lunch box. It lived in the bio lab for a few weeks before I took it out to let it go. I don't think any of us had a real inkling about how potentially dangerous that snake was… the gods protect idiots?!”
As a young man, Rom embarked on many travels before he returned to India to make his life and his legacy. As far as his College career, Rom made an unusual decision to attend the University of Wyoming. I ask him why he chose UW: “It started when I was in my last year of high school in south India (1960) and applying for colleges the way all good graduates do. Nothing was very interesting except a course in Wildlife Management at the U. of Wy in Laramie. Reading further, it transpired that the state had more deer than people. Hmmm, thinks I, the hunting sounds good and I already read about the North and South Platte rivers and the massive trout. Well, a plane ride from Bombay to NYC to meet my long lost father, and then a Greyhound bus ride from there all the way to Laramie (money was tight) and I was a registered student in rush week. Needless to say I wasn't interested in joining a frat or any of that s**t so I rented a small cheap house out on the edge of town amongst, yep, Indians and Mexicans. I was a s**t student, and the only course that was interesting was geology. Doc McGrew was also reconstructing a giant mosasaur skeleton and gave me a job at $1.25 an hour (minimum wage then, I guess) and it was good to be chipping away at the huge fossil and listen to him talk about digs he'd been on and how great Wyoming is for this kind of stuff. Since I had been a dinosaur freak when I was a kid and knew what a paleontologist was at age five—a bone-digger-upper-- I would explain to perplexed adults (thanks to my ma taking me to the NY natural history museum numbers of times) this was a real pleasurable part of my otherwise fairly useless college experience (I managed to scrape thru one year and that's it).
But my BIG Wyoming experience was with cross-country skiing, dealing with 50 degrees below zero, hunting mulies with a single-shot .22 out of season to keep the meat locker full, saving us from having to ever buy any protein at the super market. And, of course, the camping along the North Platte and learning from my local Rawlins pal Dean Addington about foul hooking a couple of suckers when the water is turbid from melting snow. You cut the sucker into chunks and drop one below a boulder riffle on the river to tempt one of those lunker brownies to gobble that sushi. And it worked a lot of the time, we never went hungry on a camp even though all we brought with us was coffee and sugar and some of those instant Betty Crocker biscuits that do fine wrapped in tinfoil on a campfire. There's lots more, good memories mostly, except for ROTC and some particularly obnoxious fellow students--but I had little to do with the academic crowd, I preferred the outsiders and locals.”
Bringing a thought completely out of left-field and referring to the “Official” Venom Angel photo, Rom shares another memory about Wyoming:
“I was very much into bikes, too. My first was at age 16 (no license, but what the hell this is India), a Brit military Triumph 350 single with mechanical forks, i.e., no shocks (wowie, zowie on the crotch and ass on long Indian road trips, but hell, man, at 16 I was king of the road). In Wyoming I came across an ad for an AJS 500 single for sale in Casper for $150 and so me and my friend hitched from Laramie to Casper in the dead of winter, picked up the bike (it started in two or three kicks, that's how well this guy cared for it) and actually drove the sombitch back to Laramie, staying on the verge of the road the whole way because the friggin road was so icy. Cops stopped us three times, sort of dazed and confused at these two boys in mukluks and huge overcoats chugging down the highway with whiteouts and whatnot the whole way. We'd get into their toasty warm squad cars and leak our caked snow and ice all over the back seat and floor. The fuzz didn't seem to mind though, one of them even knew someone we knew in school!”
I chew on his descriptions and can clearly envision the harsh winter weather he describes. I have been through more than enough of those freezing, winter days. I am absolutely stunned that Rom braved a day like that to ride a bike! Shivering, I notice a thoughtful look come into Rom’s eyes as memories of the path he has walked surface and he artfully describes the first steps he took into the profession. With a smile, he reminiscences about some of the people integral to his path in herpetology: “In the past it was my mother, Bill Haast and vicariously it would be Raymond Ditmars and authors like Robert Ruark, Ernest Hemingway and some others. Snake hunting buddies from the '60s like Heyward Clamp, Attila Beke, Schubert Lee (who tragically killed himself with a cobra at my house in Coconut Grove) and some others helped to shape my skills.
Though my interest had always been there I only started working fulltime with reptiles when I started working for Bill Haast at the Miami Serpentarium in 1963. Besides working at the largest venom production center in the world (wow!), Bill had a small representative collection of other reptiles like the two giant tortoises, rhino iguanas, a bunch of medium sized gators and two nice big crocs, a Nile and an American, so I was getting my overall husbandry experience along with visitor PR training. I eventually did the 'tours' in a sort of trance unless there was a good looking woman I wanted to impress or someone actually asked intelligent questions. Plus, of course, there was the venom business--all which were to guide me into what was to come back home in India.
Haast was a very special influence—if he were here, his advice would be: “Work quietly and doggedly, don't react to other people and (though he wouldn't have put it that way) 'just keep on truckin'.”
I never had a herp hobby really, I've kept some snakes at home long ago, but mostly I've just worked with reptiles and my desire to keep and study them translated into setting up first a snake park and then a crocodile farm and a snake venom production center, so voila! I was able to keep THOUSANDS of reptiles not just one or two! Aside from working for Haast I made a living for a while, along with a bunch of others, catching snakes and lizards for the pet, circus, zoo and research trade. We'd go out around the U. of Miami campus with sacks over our shoulders like hippy Santa Clauses, snatching up cane toads to sell to the bio specimens trade for 50 cents each, or hit the Everglades during low water to come back with 40 or 50 moccasins to sell for venom production. Nowadays I frown on commercial trade in wild caught reptiles (probably my least favorite part of the hobby), but then there was just no negativity about it. Duh!”
Rom was drafted into the Vietnam war and served honorably for two years in the U.S. Army. In a fabulous bio that Janaki wrote for Rom, she describes Rom’s return to India after Vietnam: “After his mandatory two years, he sailed straight back to India aboard a Greek freighter. Soon after alighting at Bombay, Rom set up a snake venom extraction venture outside Bombay to supply medicine producers. On one of his field trips to Madras to buy snakes, he was introduced to the Irulas, the tribal snake catchers. Rom moved his operation to Madras city and formally started India's first reptile zoo, the Madras Snake Park. Its novelty value drew lots of tourists, celebrities and dedicated young volunteers. Rom became a familiar figure in this conservative city. With a sand boa coiled through his wild white hair, and his loudly colored hippie clothes, people gawked at Rom as he pulled up on his motorbike. And to everyone's amazement he swore in Tamil, the local language! That was enough for Rom to be "IN".”
Loving hearing his vibrant memories about the people that influenced him, I ask Rom to recall a memory he loves about herping and about “The Family.” “I guess it's hard to pick out one favorite memory. Was it when I did a football dive after a disappearing black tail in the rainforest only to have a king cobra rise over me (yes, I let the tail go quick-smart), or watching a male mugger chase the female crocs away and carefully excavate a nest and carry the hatchlings to the water, or stumble on a six foot long eastern diamondback rattlesnake in the Everglades? Shucks, which one?
“The Family, I guess my favorite social experience (since my partner and I are virtual hermits out here on our farm) was going to the Daytona Beach Reptile Expo and meeting many old and new friends in the reptile world. Or maybe it was one day when I was turning over a log in the high hills of South India and came up with a literal handful of shieldtailed snakes and lo and behold a car stops nearby and out steps herp legend emeritus Carl Gans, grinning like the Cheshire cat!”
His analogy of the Cheshire Cat leads my thoughts to several of my own memories. If you know me, you know I scare myself on a regular basis (most of the time it doesn’t even involve animals) and it always makes me feel better to know that Hero’s have moments of fear as well. I ask Rom, with great anticipation, to tell me about a moment he felt real fear. Rom nods and glances at the sky. After a few moments he recalls: “A few of them: going blind after the bite of a green rock rattler, getting grabbed on both hands by a mugger croc, getting nailed by a fast black snake outside of Darwin Australia, whilst stupidly helping it cross a busy highway-- chased it, caught it so I could make sure it wasn't something I was going to die of real fast--it was a black whipsnake, Demansia atra, no sweat (errr...). Or almost drowning swimming across a croc lake in south India? Or again almost drowning when caught in a storm on the Massingir Reservoir in Mozambique on a croc survey. Or.....” My eyes wide, sitting in rapt attention, I digest his descriptions and find that his moments far exceed my own. I recall a time I had a moment with a 20 foot tiger retic on camera, and share this with Rom. Shaking his head and laughing, Rom quickly sits up and with bright eyes full of mischief describes one of his own on-camera incidents.
(to be continued!)

I hear people say, flippantly and often: "You can't choose your family."

On one hand, this is true. You can not choose to whom you are related by genetics. However...if you go back far enough, how many of us carry the same genetics without knowing it? And, what are genetics...really? A code for biological construction. Do they serve to construct our Soul...our Spirit? No, I don't believe that. They serve to provide the housing our Spirit inhabits while we walk....for a short time....on Earth. What is the purpose in Life? If you are a Scientist, you will have a vastly different view of this question than someone who is religious. A person who is religious will have a different view of this than someone who is spiritual. And all of these people will have a different view opposing someone who is an Atheist. Who is right? My answer to that is: "Does it matter?"

What DOES matter? To me, what matters is that we find who we are while we are here. This may seem a simple answer, but you know me (or you're learning to know me!). Nothing is ever simple with me! Part of finding who WE are, is reaching out and touching other lives. I really like the concept of people being in our lives "For a reason. For a season. For a lifetime." Chaos Theory provides a bounty of ideas around the main concept that there is no such thing as coincidence. That's the bottom line. Choosing to believe this concept requires you to stretch your thought processes and view your life in a constructive and analytical manner. Choosing to believe this also provides you with the unique opportunity to view the people in your life in the facets and concept of " A reason... A season... A lifetime."

Being in Herpetology all of my life has been an amazing experience. I have been afforded many, many opportunities that most people will never have. I have studied, played with and interacted with animals ranging from commonplace to highly exotic. I have met people who have changed my life. Both the animals and the people have helped me to stretch my knowledge in Herpetology, Biology, and then into areas more subtle...Sociology, Anthropology, Theology, and more. There is never a boring moment when you combine animals and people. There are quiet moments, exciting moments, moments of epiphany! There are moments of hilarity and moments you could gleefully strangle someone. But never boring. And through all of this...you find family.

Being a woman in a field that has historically been managed by men has been a lifelong balancing act for me. I do not "look" like the stereotypical person who keeps snakes, lizards and other "strange" animals. This statement is becoming, thankfully outdated. When I was first starting out doing lectures and seminars for law enforcement surrounding exotic animals, the one comment I never failed to receive was: "What is someone who looks like you doing playing with these kinds of animals?" That question, I learned, was multi-fold. I was a woman who looked like she should be doing something more mainstream. And - GASP - a BLONDE woman at that! Men were quick to close their minds to me and women actually became somewhat angry with me. Good thing I was young and liked a challenge! Over the years, I was able to learn how to present myself in a way that drew people to view my lectures with a wary fascination.

I spent hours upon hours researching, doing labs and actually providing husbandry for the animals I lectured on. I contacted the top people in the field to engage them in conversation and thereby soak up their knowledge and advice. I had to work twice as hard to prove myself and that was a good thing. Back when I was starting in the field, the top people knew each other on a personal basis because the field was smaller. And if you didn't know them personally, you knew OF them, at the very least. Herpetology was not the "HOT" hobby it now is (get it... hot?!). I watched these contemporary peers grow in their respective fields and contribute knowledge and new findings that will immortalize their names in our history. I watched these people contribute to saving lives. Some by studying the molecular biology of venoms like Bryan G. Fry. Bryan has changed the way we all view venom. Some, like Paul Rowley, by collecting venoms to be used in research and medicine. Some, like Wolfgang Wuster, by studying, researching and then teaching their findings. Dick Bartlett has provided an amazing wealth of information and photography, popularizing reptiles for a broad audience. John Binns has labored tirelessly to saving species of Iguana that our children can see in the flesh because he literally helped ensure those species' survival. Al Hyde has provided articulate and unique information on highly exotic species that even scientists have failed to observe. Robert Sprackland has provided ubiquetous knowledge that is presented in an entertaining way. It's always easier to soak up knowledge when you are being entertained. Terry Phillip provides entertainment and education in the form of a zoological experience on a level that is more intimate than what you find in sprawling zoos. Sean Bush has saved lives and provided comfort and second chances to people who are very lucky to have him share his knowledge as an MD. There are many, MANY more people out there who have provided an immense wealth of information from their own experiences. I will respect their privacy here by not naming them, but I bet you have at least heard their names.

Then there are the women who have been in the field, right beside the men. The women have always been there... but you might not be able to name them as easily. Not from years past. Luckily, their hard work is now showing because I see young women who are growing, stretching and improving their standing in Herpetology. Women who are outspoken and demand their voices be heard. Cindy Steinle and Desiree Wong are two of my personal idols. These two women have helped change the hobby enough that you now accept women in herpetology without question. They are intelligent, versed women in the field. They know the animals and they know the people. They have worked hard and are respected because they earned it. There are, of course, many more women who have and continue to contribute. Alice Grandison made her name known through Herpetology at the British Museum of Natural History. Doris Cochran made her name known at the Smithsonian Institute as the Curator of Herpetology. Grace Whitney and Martha Campbell are two more amazing woman who pursued their dreams and saw them grow into reality.

What most of these people and many others have learned over the years, is that they have become more than acquintances. They have become family. This is a family that grows and expands across years and encompasses the entire globe. This family works hard and plays hard. I have watched these people share knowledge and expand the field...but I have also watched them provide comfort, laughter, support and a life force to each other. These are some of the most loyal and caring people on the planet and I can say that because I am proud to call them MY family.

Over the coming months, I will share stories with you surrounding The Family. If you want to learn about the people, the hobby and herpetology in general, you will enjoy the short glimpses into my life. I share with only love, honor and respect. You will not find juicy gossip in my stories so please just skip past them if that's your objective. I will ask permission from anyone I write about well ahead of time so don't think you are going to be thrown into a public arena without warning!

Yes, I live in interesting times... and I am very thankful that I share this brief walk with the people I do. Take a walk with me and meet the people who change the world. You never know; YOUR name could be here next! I think Raymond Ditmars would be proud of us.

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