Snakeman helps big move
Snakeman and television star Mark O'Shea has returned to the West Midland Safari Park to co-ordinate the move of two of the largest and heaviest snakes in the country. Snakeman and television star Mark O'Shea has returned to the West Midland Safari Park to co-ordinate the move of two of the largest and heaviest snakes in the country. The two snakes – each measuring about 16ft long – provided a weighty problem when it was time to transfer them to a new home. They now form part of an exhibition about record breakers in the animal kingdom which has been created as part of the Discovery Zone at the park in Bewdley. To move each fully-grown green anaconda was not an easy task as the species grow to immense sizes because they live in water which supports their weight. Read the full story in the Express & Star.
The two snakes – each measuring about 16ft long – provided a weighty problem when it was time to transfer them to a new home.
They now form part of an exhibition about record breakers in the animal kingdom which has been created as part of the Discovery Zone at the park in Bewdley.
To move each fully-grown green anaconda was not an easy task as the species grow to immense sizes because they live in water which supports their weight.
It meant moving the two mighty snakes to a new home was not without its difficulties.
But despite the staggering size of snakes – one of which weighed in at almost seven stones (43kg) – the move went well and now the two snakes form part of the special exhibition alongside pythons and a cobra.
Adam Richardson is in charge of the care of the amazing collection of snakes and reptiles originating from all around the world which live in the Reptile House and the new Discovery Zone. Mark has caught many snakes in the wild, the largest being a stunning 20ft long and 11.5 stones (73 kg )in weight.
Anacondas are members of the boa constrictor family and kill their prey by coiling their large, powerful bodies around their victims and squeezing until their prey suffocates or is crushed to death.
They normally inhabit the swamps and rivers of the dense forests of tropical South America.
