Pop-up snake park in Marloth Park entertains and educates children
Juan's Reptile Rescue Unit set up its pop-up snake park at the Bush Centre Restaurant and Bar in Marloth Park for the last week of March.
Children and their parents had the opportunity to experience and learn more about the slithering creatures found in all areas in the Lowveld.
The pop-up park was hosted by Juan de Beer, Jacques Smith, Amber Shepstone and Jan Viljoen of the rescue unit, and the team’s passion for snakes were shared with the children who were fascinated by the reptiles.
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Courses were organised for people who wanted to learn how to handle snakes when they had to be removed safely. Every afternoon, De Beer and his team had live snake venom extractions to teach the curious attendees on how snakes are professionally handled.
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“We had all the indigenous reptiles of Marloth Park on display, like the well-known black mamba, the Mozambique spitting cobra and puff adder, more exotic snakes such as the grey-banded kingsnake, banana California kingsnake, corn snake and Burmese python. Our goal with the park was to educate the children on snakes by interacting with the reptiles themselves,” said De Beer.
The rescue unit will set up another pop-up park this Easter weekend, from April 15 to 17.
