Reptiles vs exotic animals
HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio (WDTN) - Reptile expert Jim Harrison came to a Huber Heights school Thursday, so we jumped on the chance to ask him about exotic pets. As it turns out, that was already part of his presentation.
"You are going to get to know something that a lot of people in ohio don't know because people are spreading misinformation and one of them is my brother."
Jim Harrison is the director of the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, billed as one of the world's largest collections of poisonous snakes.
He's also brother to exotic animal wrangler,
Tim Harrison, an outspoken proponent of a ban on lions, tigers, bears and poisonous snakes.
Jim was at Studebaker Middle School for talk to students about reptile safety.
His message is simple. Snakes are not likely to hurt you.
Harrison says the slithering creatures are much different from the animals that escaped in Zanesville.
"I've never had one attack me. If I corner them, they'll attack me. They're defensive. Animals are defensive for the most part."
But, he says lions and tigers are not defensive and can still be a threat to humans.
"There aren't that many people killed by exotic animals in the United States. That doesn't mean we shouldn't regulate them."
Harrison said he teaches both children and adults to keep their hands off and leave reptiles alone.
"If you a see a snake and you're not sure what it is, assume it's venomous and go the opposite direction. Nothing's gonna happen to ya."
He speaks from experience, having survived the bite of a king cobra and at least a dozen other venomous snakes and says you should never forget.
The Kentucky Reptile Zoo is one of the few places in the region that provides anti-serum for snake bites.
The group also extracts venom used in drugs to treat cancer.
www.wdtn.com/dpp/news/local/montgomery/reptiles-vs-exotic-animals
