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Snake Bite Jones is bringing his intriguing
brand of education to Johannesburg,
with shows featuring birds, reptiles and snakes - among other scary creatures -
to the zoo.
HIS animals have appeared in numerous
international films and now Bryan Vorster - the world-renowned animal
conservationist and demonstrator - is entertaining people at the Johannesburg
Zoo.
Entertaining, but with an educational agenda
The Cape Town-based entertainer, nicknamed
Snake Bite Jones, a sobriquet he earned after being bitten a number of times by
the venomous creatures, has brought almost 50 species of trained reptiles and
birds to his zoo shows.
Though spectators are entertained, Vorster
wants to leave them - especially children - with an educated perspective on
animals' environment, which is threatened by human activities. "My whole life
has been about education about snakes. If you do a show for a bunch of children
[and] each child learns one thing, just one, then you are winning," Vorster says.
Primary schoolchildren are intrigued at one
of his bird shows, on a gloomy Joburg winter afternoon. They watch as various
species of birds - including a pelican - fly straight from their cages to his
gloved hand. "We need to teach children to love animals," he points out.
The bird show is preceded by a reptile
display, a show that leaves children and adults alike gaping with curiosity -
and a bit of fear. The shows are interactive, with Vorster picking spectators
to experience the creatures.
His crusade at the zoo started on 5 June,
when he entertained about 3 000 primary schoolchildren from Gauteng townships. The current show started
on 12 June and runs until 31 August.
In his shows, Vorster talks a lot about threats
to animals and he highlights the plight of endangered species. He also never
leaves out the advantages of treating animals well.
A twinkle of delight gleams in his eye when
he speaks about advice he gave to a Cape
Town farmer whose crops were being gobbled up by rats.
Vorster told the farmer to attract owls and his problems would be solved.
Owls
"We need to look after owls. They are beautiful animals," Vorster says, after
playing with his 1,3kg owl, Aira. The owl comes from the Middle
East and has featured in several movies and TV advertisements.
Meet Aira, the owl
Aira is not the only famous animal Snake
Bite Jones has brought to Joburg. His pelican is the "most famous bird in the
whole world", having starred in a number of movies.
It has just finished shooting Free
Willy 4, set to premiere in the near future. It has also performed in Racing
Stripes, a 2005 animal movie that featured the voices of Steve Harvey, Dustin
Hoffman, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Clark Duncan, David Spade and Snoop Dogg.
His vultures, including one he calls
Alison, have also been in the movies; they can be seen in Blood Diamonds and
Lord of War, and in 24, the hit American television series that has been
broadcast in South Africa.
And his snakes have been used in music videos for top British musicians Jamiroquai
and Dido.
Other birds in the Joburg show are
Turkmenian eagle owl, toco toucan, Moluccan cockatoo, king vulture, Harris hawk,
hybrid falcon and tribrid falcon. Reptiles include an iguana and snakes such as
rattlesnake, ball python, Egyptian cobra, black mamba and Burmese python. There
are also scorpions and spiders.
The zoo
Vorster, who is performing in Johannesburg
for the first time in 10 years, is impressed by the efforts to improve the zoo.
"What excites me about Joburg is the zoo.
They are building this place better than other places I have seen," he says. He
maintains that the city's roads, however, have become confusing compared with
his youth; Vorster grew up in the city of gold.
"Johannesburg Zoo, for me, is the highest
place that I can go to do what I am doing, prestige-wise. I'm into education
and entertainment and I don't think I could be associated with a better place
in South Africa."
The impressive Joburg Zoo
Vorster praises zoo initiatives, such as its
involvement in the Wattled Crane Recovery Programme, Spectacled Bear Breeding Programme
and Amphibian Conservation Project.
"Johannesburg Zoo is delighted to be
associated with [Vorster] as he brings a great deal of experience and will
enable the zoo to disseminate conservation messages in a way that zoo visitors
will find most enjoyable," says the zoo's spokesperson, Letta Madlala.
The shows run from Tuesday to Sunday every
weekday, including public holidays. Each show lasts for almost an hour; the
reptile show starts at 11am and the bird show is on at 2pm. For more
information, contact the zoo on 011 646 2000 or visit its website .
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