THE HERALD (Harare, Zimbabwe) 14 April 07 Man Keeps 19 Species of Snakes At Avondale House (Tsitsi Matope)
A 4,5 metre-long python weighing 80 kilogrammes escaped from its cage at a house in Avondale West suburb last week, where a man keeps 19 species of snakes in the house.
The black and yellow Indian python, which coiled onto a tree close to a neighbour's yard, raised its head seemingly attempting to cross to the other side.
Two handlers, who look after the snake, among the other species at the house, tried to lift the heavy and slippery reptile but failed.
The owner, Mr Stephen Durrant, who is also an architect, yesterday said at least four people were required to lift the gigantic snake.
He said he fell in love with snakes when he was still a small boy living in Natal, South Africa, before he attained some conservation training.
"I cannot resist snakes, I love them and I don't believe people should kill them. They are harmless and adorable creatures, which people ought to understand and learn to love," Mr Durrant said, staring at a black mamba.
He said his heart gets filled with love and joy whenever he gazes at the deadly Egyptian cobra, green mamba, the American cobra and the Gabon vipers among many other species he keeps.
Mr Durrant said he could do anything for snakes by ensuring that they had all the special food they required.
He does not believe anyone should die from snakebites.
"Snakes are considerate animals, which only bite when provoked. They only use their venom for digestion," he said.
He was quick to defend the vipers saying although there was no readily available anti-venom medication in the country to cater for those bitten by poisonous snakes, usually only little poison is transmitted which can be diluted if that person gets appropriate medical attention.
"I was accidentally bitten by a green mamba while feeding it recently. I was taken to the Avenues Clinic and placed on a heart and lung machine to make the poison less potent."
He said there were more people who died from lightning than those who succumbed to snakebites.
He said, for example, South Africa recorded only four deaths each year from snake poison.
India is the only country in the world that records high death rates from snakebites because of the high incidence of snake species in that country.
But Mr Durrant is not worried about the high death rate in India and chooses to stay with his favourite Indian python, which he described as very warm and friendly.
Keeping the snakes also meant not only providing just rats for their food, which the snakes devour gladly.
The Indian python consumes large chunks of meat and chicken, which is costly but "no big deal" for the snake lover.
Mr Durrant turned part of his premises into a snake habitat in 1970, years after he had come and settled in Zimbabwe from South Africa.
He built some state-of-the-art glass cubicles where the snakes are accommodated separately.
At least 25 snakes are kept in the upper and lower cubicles with the python he said he got from a Moscow zoo occupying the larger and more comfortable cubicle.
The reptile appeared relaxed, healthy and well domesticated, as it did not behave like other wild pythons that showed signs of discomfort when they came into contact with human beings.
Mr Durrant's grand, dull-coloured house situated on a hill has become a no-go area for some people who are scared of snakes.
He said he has had no problems with thieves, apparently because they are aware of these snakes and would not dare scale over the wall.
A neighbour who saw Parks and Wildlife Management Authority officials arriving at the house yesterday, said: "I almost stepped on one of the snakes, which we believed had strayed from this man's yard."
People living along the street were curious about what goes on behind the pre-cast wall.
They think Mr Durrant is a weird character.
"We cannot peep through the holes or climb the wall -- what if a large snake attacks or spits into your eyes? The large snake we saw can swallow a person."
Mr Durrant lives with his wife after all his children graduated from school and left home, which makes the place generally serene.
The hissing sounds of the cobras could be heard in the premises, as they had been perturbed by the presence of people around their cubicles.
Mr Durrant proudly showed the Parks officials around explaining the characteristics of the snake species, where he got them and emphasising the need to ensure temperatures in their artificial environment were conducive.
He said keeping the snakes was a hobby, which he also uses in his personal research.
People can visit his house to view and learn more about the snakes for free, he said, but added that he did not invite schoolchildren to the house.
"I prefer visiting them myself and I always carry some snakes for some lessons with schoolchildren."
Mr Durrant confirmed his neighbours were terrified by snakes and did not understand why he loved these serpents.
He said there were so many snakes in the neighbourhoods nowadays because of uncollected refuse piling up.
"The rubbish piles attract rats, which the snakes love eating."
Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson, Retired Major Edward Mbewe, said Mr Durrant had a valid permit that allowed him to keep snakes at his house.
"He has been looking after the snakes for a very long time and has been doing it very well. The problem we have now realised is that this is a residential area and if an accident happens and the snakes happen to stray, lives could be in danger," Rtd Major Mbewe said.
He said the authority would look into the issue and see how best it could be resolved.
"People generally are afraid of snakes and we understand that it is difficult for someone to live in a neighbourhood where large and poisonous snakes are also kept."
He said the authority was expected to quickly move in and encourage the neighbours to visit the house and see how secure the snakes were.
Mr Durrant said the family living next door was renting the house and he had subsequently invited them over to inspect his house and find out how many snakes he had and what he did with them.
"They did not come; it seems they can not bear the thought of even looking at the snakes . . . My neighbours have to understand that I am an expert in what I am doing and that they are very safe," he said.
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Man Keeps 19 Species of Snakes