Q&A with Mark O'Shea

bitisatrox on 2002-08-20    
HI, your doing and excellent job and keep up all the good work.
hope you come out with a video/DVD line of your shows soon I'll buy them all!!!
just wanted you to know your one for the few people that I really look up to in this world and admire...
I think without your shows and books I would not have come to appreciate wild reptiles as much as I do these days.....
So keep doing what you you do and stay safe, theres no body like you (as much as some of us would like to be).
be carefull and keep up the good work!!!

later,
Tyler Culnan
anubispostalservice@yahoo.com

Dear Tyler

Thank you for your comments, I am very pleased I have in your appreciation of wild reptiles. My PNG book A Guide to the Snakes of Papua New Guinea took six years from start to finish. I was first in PNG in 1986 and I returned in 1990, for Oxford University's Dept of Medicine and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, to catch and milk the snake species that were killing folks. I met up with some influential ex-patriot friends who asked me to write the book as another means of helping people and snakes in PNG. Some snakes were killing people but many more people were killing snakes. Hence the germ of the book aimed at identification, snakebite treatment and conservation , was born, written and launched at the National Museum of PNG in 1996. And it was struggle because at one stage I had a computer with all my maps and drawings stolen and I had not backed them up (idiot) so I was set back some months. Then Arnold Kluge's revision of Australasian pythons was published and Van Wallach's new blindsnakes were described so I had to re-write entire sections. There came a point where we decided, new species or no, we've go to get this book published.

As for videos I would love to see videos of my films available, even dvds because there are so many rare species, so many interesting and amusing out-takes, that could be included on a dvd, but unfortunately the various television companies (production and broadcaster) do not seem to think there is a market at the moment.

All the best

Mark

SouthernEmma on 2002-08-19    

Mr. O'Shea,
Just wanted to let you know that you are an inspiration to young and old herpers alike, and as a beginner herpetologist, I learn a great deal from your show and field guide. Thanks and God bless! --Emily Roberson
e-mail-hotsouthernemma@yahoo.com

Dear Emily,

When I was a young herper I had a sick dice snake, a European watersnake not unlike your banded watersnakes. No great snake but it was my snake and I was fond of it. I took it to see a great man, John Foden, the UK Midland's answer to Bill Haast, a venomous snake expert and a keen king cobra enthusiast above all other species. John worked at a zoo and I called at the back gate. He knew me as one of the youngsters who hung around at herp meetings. He gave my dice snake and myself far more time out of his busy schedule than I am sure he could really afford. Over the years John became a good friend but sadly he passed away two years back. Having now worked in a Safari Park Reptile House since 1987 (though admittedly with long breaks away) I often think back the early days. Whenever I am asked for advice by youngsters, I always think back to the help John Foden gave to me and try to pass on that enthusiasm. It is so important.

Mark

lancehead on 2002-08-16    
hey mark,
i just wanted to say that i really enjoyed your shows. you do a great job on promoting how spectacular the reptile world is. i also want to thak you for doing the bulk of your shows trying to discover rare reptiles and their behaviors. theres been a few shows that if i hadnt seen i wouldnt know about that animal so thanks. im only 16 and love the thrill of catching and learning about reptiles. your one of the people who encourage me. thank you. good luck on your future journeys!

andrew ward
snakelover15@yahoo.com

Dear Andrew

At 16 you have a whole world of herping ahead of you. In my shows I try to pick up good storylines with interesting reasons for the quest. Early on we might have gone to look for something because it was big or dangerous but that gets boring after a while. I wanted something more tangible, something with more purpose. You should try convincing television executive producers you want them to fund an expensive trip to try to find a lizard that grows to three inches and length and is not in the slightest bit threatening, but hey, it might glow if we find it ! or a quest for a species so rare we might not find it at all. Talk about expensive gambles, and we have failed to find the species we were after in about 5 of the 32 Big Adventures. Ask any field herper, that is par for the course in fieldwork. But tiny lizards that might glow in the dark or have toxic green blood are so strange they deserve to be on television more than a snake that is just a bit big.

I hope you feel the same. Education through entertainment is the name of the game.

Mark

bobby_neal on 2002-08-15    
Hey, just thought I'd drop a line and say that I enjoy the reality of your show...

At the SSAR meeting in Kansas City, Kansas during the first week of July I got a king cobra shirt that Dr. Renata Platenberg (Slow-worm lady) had put up for auction that she got from you that you put up for auction at the Herp 3rd World Congress.... Anyway, at the next SSAR
or SWAN meeting etc, I'll be putting it back up for auction along with the photo of you and Renata with the shirt and the pic of me and Renata with the shirt... Hopefully it'll continue to be put up on the auction block and raise some money....

My question to you is how difficult is it to juggle and manage between research for publications etc and TV shows etc... Is there any overlap, or are they two totally separate issues for you? (I myself have a hard enough time managing between herp surveys and other school work and research etc...)

Bobby Neal
webmaster@snakesandstuff.com

Hey Bobby,

What you all dumping my shirt as soon as you getting hold of it ?

I was sure I washed that cobra crap out of it and it smelled okay!

Seriously I am pleased my old t-shirt is becoming some sort of money-raising artifact even if nobody can bear to keep it in the house for long.

Your question I a good one. It is very difficult to get on with a research project when you are continually switching species, countries, continents etc. so by and large my own research is on hold. We are getting some papers and notes out of the various films when we find something significant and I am co-authoring items with Rob Sprackland, Simon Cook, Skip Lazell and Anslem da Silva, but I can't do anything long term in any one direction at the moment and I do miss that.

In the past I have spent 7 months in Amazonian Brazil for the Royal Geographical Society, 5.5 months in PNG for Oxford Uni., 4 months in Cameroon, W.Africa for Operation Raleigh and 1-3 months in loads of places, all without film crews, but no time for that now.

I wrote my Dorling Kindersley reptile handbook in practically every gap at home I had during series one of OBA so I had no free time for myself - I was either filming or writing for 18 months.

Now I am working on a children's book on lizards as I have another break from filming.

Maybe I will go back to research and disappear into the PNG jungles or some such place without a film crew in tow.

Mark

KingCobraFan on 2002-08-15    
Hi, Mark:
Just wanted to say I thoroughly enjoy your TV shows, especially the black mamba one with Don Strydom and the Revenge of the Cobra. Any chance of O'Shea's Big Adventure t-shirts? I'd certainly buy a couple. Anyway, keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Bill Huseth

Bill

Another merchandising question eh. The television companies did not seem interested in t-shirts or even baseball caps. We wanted to produce them because they are great gifts for support crew (boatmen, drivers, fixers, medics, local contributors) on location but it never quite happened. We did have some printed in Sri Lanka but they were not great. If I can find one out I might send it to Chris Harper and he can auction it for a herp charity or something.

You might have to bid high though and there is already my `Tell Hicks Eco' king cobra shirt doing the rounds according to Bobby!

Mark

TAIPAN78 on 2002-08-15    
Hello Mark,
Wow, what an opportunity. First off, as many have already done, let me express my gratitude for producing such a realistic and fact filled show. I try to catch every episode ........Secondly, let me also give gratitude for your book, A field Guide to Snakes of PNG. I have scrolled through that book hundreds of times and never get tired of the pictures and content. By far the best guide ...

Now, on to my questions. Firstly, if possible, could you give me your take on the PNG P.australis? We forum users have had the opportunity to hear the current thinking from some other top leading authorities (Wolfgang Wuster, David Williams and to a much lesser extent, Ray Hoser. Also, many private herpetoculturists who have and do keep both animals) on the situation and most seem to believe that it is indeed a different sp or at least a sub species of P.australis. What do you believe? After looking at the pictures you provide in your book of animals from both locals, I would have to also agree that they appear to be different but then again, im no professional herpetologist (as I'm sure you can tell from my spelling:-)

Secondly, outa curiosity, what would you consider your favorite venomous reptile? Personally, I am a huge fan of Oxyuranus but am forced to veiw the lifes of these magnificent snakes through publications such as yours and TV shows from various people, along with account from other herpicultureist and proffesionals. What has been your experince with the 2 sp and PNG/IJ ssp?

Lastly, have you ever gave thought to teaming up with any hobbiest or naturlist with a profond knowledge of certin hard to find or rare sp here state side? If so, what about doing a show on the red phase Sisturus miliaris miliaris found only in 3 counties of Eastern North Carolina? I know just the guy for the job:-)(and no, its not me)

Well Mark, I hope you can find time to answer some or all of these questions and I egarly await your next TV show.

Thanks for your time and continue the great work!

All the best,
Jeremy Geffert, Hot herp Hobbiest

Jeremy

Pleased you like both films and book. I think I could improve on some of my photos though, the homalopsine snakes go back to 1986 when I had pretty poor camera gear and no idea.

As for NG Pseudechis australis, Wolfgang, David Williams and I are in the process of describing a new species from PNG which is not the Merauke species from Irian Jaya. I have some ideas on PNG Pseudechis but would prefer to keep them close to my chest at the moment if you don't mind. I discovered a specimen in a collection that I found mislabelled in 1990 which started quite a detective trail which involved me tracking down an old museum collector in a stilt village and asking him to verify collection locality. He thought it was a taipan but it wasn't. `nough said for now.

My favourite venomous snake is the king cobra, I was in awe of the female in Cobra's Revenge and felt so guilty catching her that only releasing her would make up for it.

Sorry, no immediate plans for another US film though I know you have many fascinating herps over there.

Mark

newggtongs on 2002-08-14    
Hello,
Let me just take this opportunity to say thank you for making a REAL herpetological show!
That said, I'll tell you a bit about myself. I Live in S.W. Florida where I work for Mark Bell, (one of the largest herp breeders in the country).
You probably saw his tables at the herp show in Daytona last year.
I am planning to go on a ten-day herping expedition to S. Africa this October in search of mambas. Should be fun! :-)
Well, I just want to say that you are doing a great job.
Hey, I would make a great side-kick, what do you say?
Just kidding. :-D
One question:
When can we expect a line of Mark O'Shea products? Maybe snake hooks and grab sticks, beard trimmers or even a line of your trademark green hats! No? Well, then just keep making your great herp shows.

Good luck!
- Darren Maslach
e-mail- EDConf@aol.com

Darren

If you were at Daytona in 2001 you will realise I saw very little for two days except the queue of people in front of me and the gents toilet (briefly when time permitted). I did not even see the bar for a beer so I must have been seriously busy. I saw very little of the other tables. Actually I did come back from the gents by roundabout routes a couple of times but everyone was so patient waiting for me at the MidWest stand that I could not disappear for long.

Good luck in S.Africa. mambas are in the Transvaal but we also searched in Natal and failed to find them there. Yet my good friend Tony Phelps has been back and caught several there since.

Sidekicks, join the queue, it must be nearly as long as that one at Daytona !

Mark

HELERI on 2002-08-14    
Hello Mr. O'shea! Do you/have you played a musical instrument?

No, sorry I am not musical at all although I was learning to play the bodran for a while at the Irish club.

Mark

Langaha on 2002-08-13    
Hey Mark! What an opportunity. I am a 19 year old herper from Missouri, it's guys like you that inspire me to study snakes and herpetology for a living. I go snake hunting quite often, and have captured or relocated dozens of snakes already this summer.(mostly copperheads). Believe it or not, that is the snake that I have found more than any other colubrid. I had an extremely good day the other day and found a large adult speckled kingsnake, well needless to say, I kept it. What a beautiful snake when viewed up close. I heard you came to Missouri, near Kansas City to search for Timber Rattlers not too long ago, however was unsuccessful. Don't feel too bad, because I have yet to find one in this part of Missouri. Well I hope to make a career of this just as you have, no matter what route I may have to take to do so. Having your own show to educate and entertain others with, would be the ultimate honor. Without a degree, is there any particular facit of a job in herpetology you could recommend? I'm not sure if you even are going to be able to reply to these posts. To finish, just thought I would say keep up the awesome work, and your an inspiration to many amateur herpers out there. If you ever want to catch an osage copperhead, I find them nightly around here, swing by and we'll herp. Good luck in your travels! ---Anthony Adams
e-mail- herpstudy@hotmail.com

And finally for now Langaha from Missouri,

Yes we went out and missed finding timbers though the location we went to was good for them and I got to photograph some captives. We were followed everywhere by a posse of Kansas City's best journalists which was interesting. I had a great time with Dana from MidWest and the Kansas City herp folks who showed myself and my girlfriend some real good American hospitality. And I found a small Osage copperhead which was really a beautiful animal and my first US copperhead (I think). I caught two Aussie copperheads, including a big specimen, in Tasmania when we filmed Feast of the Snakes but they never made the final cut of the film.

Your question concerns careers in herps. Not easy now, so much competition but a degree does put you ahead of the field. I go my Bachelors in 1985 as a mature student and was recently awarded an honorary Doctor of Sciences by my Alma Mater for my contribution to herpetology.

Without a degree you can try zoo work although many keepers also have degrees, volunteer work on projects but again most folks do seek out degrees. In the UK you can do a degree with the Open University while you hold down another job. It takes longer but it is still as good a degree as any other. I don't know if you can do that sort of thing in the US.

Really if you want to enter research or fieldwork aspects of herps you do need formal qualifications these days, if only to get ahead of the field.

Mark

Added 10-22-2002
Q&A with Mark O'Shea
by mordrid3000 on October 10, 2002
Dear Mark
i have studied snakes for about 8 years now and would like hands on experince working with venomous snakes.I have worked with snakes before at blackpool zoo as work experience and also a couple of months in a pet shop but thats it.I have never kept snakes as my parents cant stand them.I would like to work in the field with them like you do is there any suggestions on how i would get into this sort of work your suggestions would be very greatfull.
mark townsend

My answer would be:
You don't state how old you are and if you are still student age then I would say getting into university arms you with the most meaningful tools(but no guarantees) to work professionally with reptiles later in life. As for hands on with venomous reptiles, this is a real Catch 22 situation, a chicken and egg scenario. It is often considered necessary to have experience with venomous snakes to be able to work with them, but which comes first, the handling or the experience. Of course to get experience you have to have handled venomous reptiles BUT you should handle your first venomous snakes under the guidance of experienced staff. That said you also generally need to be a member of staff. Our Safari Park has works experience personnel in all sectors from reptiles to sealions to the reserves (elephants, rhinos, hippos, ungulates, big cats etc) but only official staff are allowed to work with the dangerous species because volunteers and works experience are still members of the public and there could be insurance problems if they were, say, 'eaten'. In the Reptile House works experience personnel are not allowed to handle any of the dangerous species because of our regulations.
There are only probably eight or nine zoos in the UK with venomous snakes in their collections (I don't think Blackpool Zoo has venomous herps) and due to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act (1976, amended 1983) UK pet shops do not deal in them so the openings are few and far between.
I was interested in snakes for maybe 12 years before I had dealings with even our indigenous British adder, much longer before I kept venomous herps in captivity.
The truth is there are many fascinating and overlooks NON-venomous snakes and lizards which you should not ignore in your quest for the Holy Grail.

Mark