Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I was relaxing on Christmas night after the kids and grandkids left and lo and behold the Animal Planet was re-airing the Austin Stevens episode where he searches most of the Indian subcontinent in search of a king cobra to pester . . . and there is a scene where he "finds" and examines a sizable Russell's viper. While he was tailing and otherwise handling this very dangerous snake I noticed that he was barefoot! This after supposedly days of trekking through Indian forests looking for venomous snakes. Of course the show featured a number of those scenes where he says "Well, it would be wonderful if we could find Snake X . . . " and suddenly, right on cue, there is Snake X ten feet away! Honestly, aside from the overdramatics, is it really sensible to run around in venomous snake country barefoot and then startr swinging a five-foot Russell's viper around like a lasso 24 inches from your toes? I'm all for shows that teach about snakes and remind viewers that they are part of the ecosystem and such, but does anyone else think it's sending a pretty dumb message to show a supposed expert freehandling a snake that is responsible for as many fatalties as any, with no shoes on? Thoughts . . . ?

Obviously there is no requirement about idiocy to get one's own show on Animal Planet. Whether the idiot felt safe handling the (probably) long term captive snake in his bare feet doesn't even enter into it. He ought to have given some thought to the whole picture, & realized that kids may well imitate him...and get killed.

~~Greg~~

I hate it. I wish they would not show that sorta poop on TV. I have kept venomous for a number of years now and would NEVER handle any snake like he does on his shows. No matter how "experienced" he may be, there is NO reason to handle a snake in that manner. Very poor message sent to all that watched it. Ridiculas, to say the least.

He might as well light them on fire and juggle them.He shows no respect for the animals or care in the message he is sending!

I think most of the shows on animal planet,discovery, and national geographic play up the death and danger aspect of snakes for the simple reason that most people have an ever shrinking attention span. The average individual watching these shows doesn't want to learn about snakes or any other animal really, they just want to watch some jackass molesting a snake that might kill him.
If they had to watch someone handling snakes safely(as in with a snake hook or wearing shoes or maybe both)they would change the channel to something with flatuence jokes or explosions and that would not be good for ratings.

And if any producers from the mentioned channels are reading this, I think if we are forced to watch someone mishandle snakes it should angelina jolie or someone along those lines, and remember the less clothing the better the ratings!!!LOL

Ryan

My family watched this too, and I remember he made a comment that he supposedly had to take his shoes of because he was in the sacred grove of a temple. Still seems very strange.