Reptile Fortnight at Noah Ark Zoo Farm

Vipers will be on show[/caption] Crocodiles will also be on show for reptile fortnight with Pete bringing two Mississippi crocodiles as well as the newly arrived Nile crocodiles, which have just taken up residence at the zoo farm. Pete and Brian are particularly daring reptile lovers, having swum with their crocodiles and survived bites from the snakes, the latter of which chose just to bite and not inject any venom. But both the men undergo strict training to handle the snakes and are specially licensed to work with dangerous reptiles. Pete said: "The ethos is to show people that venomous snakes are not horrible and evil. "Given the right circumstances they would rather avoid contact, by hissing or rattling their tail. Biting someone is the last thing they try to do – they would rather go somewhere dark and warm. "We try to educate people about snakes and how important they are to the ecosystem. They help to keep the rodent population down, which in turn keeps disease levels down. "By feeding off rodents they also stop them from eating crops.” The snake shows take place inside a specially-constructed bullet-proof Perspex box, built into the main Ark Arena, which gives the public a great close-up view of the venomous reptiles in a completely safe format, making it a perfect event for families, visiting groups and educational school trips.