OTTAWA SUN (Ontario) 16 December 06 Lethal snakes on display - Area reptile zoo adds extremely rare, extremely deadly serpents (Aedan Helmer)
Six feet of slithering, slimy fun has slid into Little Ray's Reptile Zoo.
A pair of female Bushmasters, some of the world's largest and deadliest snakes, are now on display at the zoo just south of city limits.
The 50-lb. snakes are on loan from a Southern Ontario private breeder, who previously exhibited his prized pets at a reptile zoo in Toronto. They're the only two of their kind on display in Canada.
Zookeeper Paul "Little Ray" Goulet figures the rare creatures will be a popular attraction for young families over the holiday season.
Goulet, with the help of his staff and a pair of four-foot hooks, brought one of the snakes out of her cage yesterday and handled it before a throng of nervous onlookers.
"You have to be very alert when handling these," said Goulet, dripping with sweat.
"Better than coffee," quipped zookeeper Steve Pelletier.
Native to low-lying forested areas of Costa Rica, Brazil and Nicaragua, the Bushmaster is a nocturnal animal that feeds primarily on rodents.
But when agitated, the snakes have been known to attack humans, with often fatal results. The mortality rate in human encounters is the highest of any venomous snake in the western hemisphere.
The snakes are "lightning fast," despite their enormous size, said Goulet.
"When they decide to strike, they can pinpoint their target and be back in position in a fraction of a second," he said.
The venom takes effect immediately, attacking and destroying red blood cells and eventually breaking down the body's internal organs.
"It basically kills a person by digesting you inside out," said Goulet.
The species is extremely rare, but is not listed on any endangered wildlife lists.
The Bushmasters will be on display until at least the end of January, and kids are invited to participate in a Name that Snake contest running until the end of December.
Lethal snakes on display

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