Kamai Reptile park

Day Seven

Today we were picked up by our transfer bus and headed to the reptile park for a private photography day. Our guide was Donald Strydom a very knowledgeable man on all things reptile and one of the foremost conservationists in Africa with reptiles.

We started the morning with a small seminar about that conservation they are doing at the center and what we can expect from the day.

Everybody waiting for the seminar to start

After our seminar we started with the Flat rock scorpion in a studio set up. Using UV torches to show how the scorpions glow and learning why they do this was very interesting. I didn't get any shots as i was helping guests with this very tricky photography situation. Everybody was able to get a couple of good shots of the glowing scorpion.

We then moved outside and set up the scorpions on a rock so we could all get some shots.

Tom making sure all the guess get the shots they are after

One of two species photographed this is the more dangerous Black hairy thick tailed scorpion (phew what a mouthful)

We then proceeded to the Endangered and endemic (means they only occur in this area and no where else) Golden brown baboon spider, which is a large tarantula.

Getting some close ups of the spider on a log

Beautiful Golden brown baboon spider

Some of the braver guests held the spider and a big congratulations to Karen Lisager and Sivert Jonsson who are very afraid of spiders but brave enough to hold this one.Well done!

Now we are going more to the reptile side of things starting with a cool looking lizard the Sungazer
with a gorgeous Drakensberg mountain background some really nice images where taken.

Our session with the sungazer

wide angle of the spiny sungazer

Now we tried something a bit more exotic the Green iguana from South America

Very prehistoric looking green Iguana

Also played with a chameleon but he wasn't in the mood to feed

Finishing with the reptiles in this area we moved on to another area before lunch to photograph some tortoises and giant plated lizards.

Feeding the giant plated lizard

We had a wonderful lunch which filled our bellies up and gave us the strength to face the snakes in the afternoon. We didn't ease the guests into it and first snake was the puff adder which accounts for the most venomous snake bites in Africa.

Working with a puff adder, notice no one wants to get to close haha

Despite the fearsome reputation the puff adder is very reluctant to bite and is a beautiful snake

Now we were in the mood for some more dangerous snakes our next subject was a little more tricky as we moved to the arboreal snake species.

Green mamba is about half as venomous as is cousin the black mamba

Now for the big guns the most feared snake in Africa with a reputation that far exceeds this shy snakes true nature.

Although the snakes box doesn't help settle nerves!

Personally they fascinate me and i think they are a handsome snake

This snakes nervous temperament makes it seem aggressive

Maybe we pushed him a little to much so he gave us a warning showing why he is called a black mamba

Now the day is drawing to an end we have a few more snakes the get images off then we will have filled our memory cards and need to charge out batteries.

Guests with a snouted cobra we got to photograph two of them and one was the rare banded form

Very impressive snouted cobra is the largest cobra in this area getting up to 3 meters in length

Ready to strike!

And for the last of the snakes we tried a African rock python and a very difficult shot of a Mozambique spitting cobra actually spitting.
it went surprisingly well actually.

The rock python was a nice subject but was a very cold snake so didn't move that much

Now for the grand Finally the Spitting session.

First we had to practice a shot of something spitting

Yes! success, sweet sweet success!

Actually we are a bit early to end the day still so we had one more go with a exotic species the Yellow rat snake which has a special superpower. It can climb any tree even it there is no branches!

How cool is that!

Last image of the day with the yellow rat snake before we departed.

I think today was a great success and a lot of fun was had by all. And most importantly the guests learn't a lot about reptiles and their conservation.

Tomorrow we go for a sleep out in the bush!

let see who will be able to get any sleep.