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Another Black Eye?
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by ALA_herp31 on June 16, 2005
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It's not the usual sight in Limestone County and it may be the first cobra ever confiscated in this county. But if county authorities have anything to do with it -- it will be last.
Limestone County resident Turner Davis Roberts, also known as "Snake Man," was arrested and charged Wednesday with the possession of a non-indigenous venomous reptile in violation of Alabama regulation after authorities discovered a rear-fanged water cobra in his home.
The Limestone County Sheriff's Department received a tip that Roberts had the snake in his home on Nuclear Plant Road. The snake is said to be native to Asia and parts of Africa.
Capt. Johnny Johnson with the Wildlife Freshwater Fisheries Division of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said it is illegal to have such a snake due to public safety and the lack on anti-venom. He said, as far as he knows, there is no anti-venom in Alabama to treat a bite from this snake.
He estimates that a person would die within hours from a bite by the snake without treatment.
Johnson said other snakes were found in the Roberts home, but the cobra was the only one in violation of state law.
Roberts kept the snakes in aquariums.
Johnson said that Roberts reported he got the snake from a resident in Cullman.
Johnson said that there is no jail time associated with the snake possession, but Roberts could receive a fine of up to $500.
Roberts' court date is set for Aug. 5.
Authorities said there are two possible options left for the snake -- it could be put down or taken to a zoo........................
To let you all know, I know this man that was cought..........Happy herping Wally
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RE: Another Black Eye?
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by Chance on June 16, 2005
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So was it a cobra in the elapid sense, or as in the Hydrodynastes (false water cobra) sense? If it was the latter, are they considered a threat to public health by AL law? If so, are hognoses as well?
-Chance
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RE: Another Black Eye?
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by Scootertrash on June 16, 2005
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You beat me to it Chance. I was going to ask the same question. As far as I know, a bite from a false water cobra is not life threatening lol. Just another example of either the press sensationalizing a story or law enforcement not knowing their stuff I guess.
Clayton
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RE: Another Black Eye?
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by Phobos on June 16, 2005
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It was a Hydrodynastes...no big deal!
There is no antivenom for bee-stings either and they kill hundreds of people...careful..the venom does not kill..the reaction to the bee protein does.
Jerks Rule!!
Al
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RE: Another Black Eye?
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by Chance on June 16, 2005
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I posted this on the other thread on this issue, but wanted to post it here as well.
I just wanted to drop a small update. I received an e-mail back from the lady who wrote the story. She said she was going on what the authorities told her and would post a corrected story tomorrow. Maybe she'll actually try to set the record straight.
-Chance
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by Phobos on June 16, 2005
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That's a very good sign, that she is trying to be a good journalist. Wonder why she wrote you back and not me....must be the "Tube Socks"
Good deal anyway!!
Al
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RE: Another Black Eye?
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by Chance on June 16, 2005
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Well of course Al, I'm cuter ;) jk of course. Must've been my wondrous typing skills...hah.
-Chance
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RE: Another Black Eye?
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by ALA_herp31 on June 16, 2005
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Yeah, I think this is the biggest, small story to hit my home town in years. I am thinking about writing the news courier and let them know that FWC, are not considered to be that darn bad. Just goes to show what they will do to sell a paper huu? I have known T.D. Roberts for some 20 years, he is a good Keeper. I don’t know why he would violate the Laws on Keeping. I know that he worked as a Snake Man with a Traveling Road Show, back in the 70s and early 80s. He always talked to me about Conservation and Protection for the worlds Venomous Snakes. Its beyond me what he was thinking. Maybe he just got tired of all the stupid Laws and decided to Keep as he pleased. I consider T.D. Roberts to be a good friend, I hope that him doing this don’t leave a bad mark on our Hobby. As soon as I can, I plane to go talk to him and see if I can find out why he done such a dangerous thing. I don’t mean dangerous in the toxic form, but dangerous in the possible ban that could come from such things..................Be safe ya’ll, happy herping Wally
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RE: Another Black Eye?
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by Chance on June 17, 2005
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So FWC's are or are not covered under AL law? If they are, does that mean other rear-fangs like vine snakes, mangroves, and hognoses are as well? Keeping in mind here that many rear-fangs, including e. hogs, do occur in AL themselves? It astounds me that they could put the emphasis on this situation as though the guy was keeping mambas and real cobras when all along it was just a mostly harmless colubrid. Of course I'm not naive enough to think that FWCs are completely harmless. Given the proper circumstances, they may be able to post a threat to life. However, those circumstances would at best be few and far between. I think it goes without saying that you'd have a much greater risk of being injured or killed by stepping out your door and being ran down by a drunken drive than by dying from a FWC bite. Ah well....ignorant people.
-Chance
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RE: Another Black Eye?
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by BGF on June 17, 2005
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Have his defence get ahold of me and I'll quite happily put together a statement about the relative danger of them and their relationship to venomous in relation to what the law was intended for. If his defence frames this argument properly, I think they have a great chance to get off on a technicality. No professional herper would state otherwise than that the snakes were not 'venomous' from the point of view that the law was written. Its really that simple. The relative danger posed is not that of the standard of a 'properly venomous' snake. It'd be good to get a precedent to this effect.
Cheers
Bryan
Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry
ARC-APD Research Fellow
Journal of Molecular Evolution 'Zuckerkandl Prize' recipient
http://www.venomdoc.com/downloads/2004_JME_Zuckerkandl_Prize_editorial.pdf
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http://www.venomdoc.com
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Deputy Director
Australian Venom Research Unit,
Level 8,
School of Medicine,
University of Melbourne,
Parkville, Victoria
3010 Australia
Phone 61 3 8344 7753
Fax 61 3 9348 2048
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Population and Evolutionary Genetics Unit
Museum Victoria
GPO Box 666E, Melbourne VIC 3001
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Faith can't be put in a test tube. Thats why it shouldn't be put in a science classroom.
Faith (noun). Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence
Science (noun). The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation and theoretical explanation of phenomena. Such activities restricted to a class of natural phenomena.
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