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RE: Whose your herpetological hero?
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by AquaHerp on September 26, 2007
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Kauffeld, Pope, Morris and a few others took me on some great inspirational journeys as a youth through their written literature and defiantly inspired me towards who I am today. From a mentorship and friendship stance it was the late and great Dr. Sherman Minton Jr. who was kind enough to push me along, teach me and share some of the most memorable field excursions I have known that truly made me who and what I am today, for better or worse (depends who you ask I suppose). I cannot mention Sherman without giving just due to his wonderful and equally talented wife Madge who also taught me many great things and was one hell of a herper in her own right!
Yet, there are many who continue to spark me along to this day. The best are those 10-year olds who know what they want to be, a herpetologist, and they still have that magic in their eye, unspoiled by money-morphs-laws-politics-and bravado-they just love herps. Those are the ones that refuel my enthusiasm and get me through another month or two.
DH
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RE: Whose your herpetological hero?
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by earthguy on September 27, 2007
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Well spoken Doug. I forget how much energy and excitment children naturally carry for wildlife. It is easy to get caught up in legalities, money, and biology. But when I see my own children get excited about a little crowned snake that I caught just to show them, my real love for herpetology gets dusted off and conservation gains some urgency.
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RE: Whose your herpetological hero?
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by Buzztail1 on September 27, 2007
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Years ago I was in a position to only be able to read about herps as we lived in a country that had none.
Through literature Carl Kauffeld, Raymond Ditmars, Roger Conant, Bill Haast, and Sherman & Madge Minton kept my love of reptiles alive and safely nurtured. Their willingness to share with the world their love of reptiles kept my interest through three long years of icy herp wilderness.
With the advent of computer and subsequently internet technology, I have gotten to meet an incredible number of herpetology enthusiasts. For that I have Chris Harper and kingsnake dot com to thank. This website was a window into the venomous community which had no previous existence. Many of the people that I have come to know and consider friends, colleagues, and even mentors, I met through this site.
Heros are hard to come by. People that I respect and look up to would be more appropriate to describe the folks that I have named here.
Just my opinion and personal input,
Karl
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RE: Whose your herpetological hero?
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by AquaHerp on September 27, 2007
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They really have that passion that we seem to suppress sometimes don't they? We'd all do well to learn from them and remember that enthusiasm and wonderment that we once had.
I used to sit in my office at San Antonio and watch the little anoles outside of my window head-bob and battle for territory and realize that a half hour had gone by while I watched them with pleasure. Then I'd chuckle thinking that I had komodo dragons not 75 feet away and here I was mesmerized by brown anoles still to this day. Heck, I still take the time to stop and watch my rat snakes eat....still does it for me after all these years. I'll never grow up....no matter how much my wife tells me to!!!
DH
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RE: Whose your herpetological hero?
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by AquaHerp on September 27, 2007
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I would like to applaud Karl for his insight and eloquent way of stating that. I too have met a great many herpers here, as well as having been able to re-establish contact with some I have lost over time.
Best of all, this very site has allowed me to headhunt and recruit for building the best herp staff that the Abilene Zoo has had in decades, and in my opinion, has ever had.
DH
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RE: Whose your herpetological hero?
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by agkistrodude on October 4, 2007
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When I was a kid, I read all the books that my library carried, but in the late 70's, I think it was 1978, me and a friend took a trip to Florida and the Keys. It was late November or the 1st week of December, (off season)We saw the Miami Serpentarium and had to check it out. We were the only 2 in the place beside employees and we just kind of walked around and hung out for awhile talking to the people that worked there.Then Bill Haast walked up and started talking to us. We got to talk with him for about 45 minutes and then he gave us a tour that the average public wouldn't have gotten. I've been hooked on venomous snakes ever since. Marty
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RE: Whose your herpetological hero?
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by hoyta on October 8, 2007
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Definetely agree with Bill Haast...
Honestly, if you people ever have the chance to meet him, Ron Kee in Greensboro, NC, is a great person to know and talk herps with. Years of experience, and a great mentor for me growing up...
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RE: Whose your herpetological hero?
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by KenoshaMark on September 21, 2008
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The person that got me interested in reptiles a long time ago is George Van Horn. He is the owner/operator of Reptile World Serpentarium in St. Cloud, Florida. Whenever I vacationed in Florida, a side trip there was always required.
His museum has a wide variety of many snakes and other reptiles as well. His is one of the three major producers of snake venom in the U.S. His venom extractions shows are the greatest.
He starts off with a ralk about the need for snake conservation and allows the people to touch or hold a non-venomous snake. Then he goes into his enclosed extraction room. George and his assistant methodically extract venom from 5 or more different species of snake, using different methods as required to make it safe for himself, and more importantly his snakes. He keeps detailed motes on each snake, sometimes weighing or measuring them and keeping track of how much vrnom each one produced. Every thing he does seems to show his dedication to the health and safety of his snakes.
Before or after the extraction shows, he is more than willing to discus reptiles with anyone showing an interest.
Extracting snake venom is a very dangerous occupation. I'm sure the rewards for doing so are far less thab that amount of risk deserves. I think it is an inspiration that he found a way to make a living doing what he most loves to do, keeping and working with reptiles. I can only hope that the operation will be turned over to someone just as passionate and skill as George Van Horn when he decides to retire. His serpentaium needs to stay open and educating its visitors.
I am sure the same accolades are deserved by Jim Harrison, as well, but I have not visited the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, YET! I hope to soon.
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