Snakes alive - Bewdley park animal keeper on a mission

11:10am Saturday 13th March 2010
By Cadisha Brown

AN animal keeper at West Midland Safari Park has jetted off to Papua New Guinea (PNG) to find the third most venomous snake in the world.

Steve Slater has packed his bags and made the 35-hour journey from his home in Kingswinford to the PNG capital, Port Moresby.

The 45-year-old will be joining up with the park’s consultant reptile curator and herpetologist, Dr Mark O’Shea, on a 20-day field expedition.

He will be working with Dr O’Shea to locate, catch and milk the venom from wild Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni), the third most venomous snake in the world, for the Australian Venom Research Unit Snakebite Project.

Papuan Taipan is responsible for up to 400 deaths a year in PNG alone. The park currently houses two young Papuan Taipan in their collection, but this will be Mr Slater’s first real taste of catching snakes in the wild.

He will be fully equipped with heavy duty tactical kit designed for tough situations Describing the experience, Mr Slater said: “Staff progression is high on the agenda at West Midland Safari Park and when this fantastic opportunity presented itself, the park went out of its way to support me. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I am really looking forward to the challenge.”

Mr Slater, a senior keeper in the discovery trail, has been working at the Bewdley-based safari park for more than three years, following a zoological profession spanning more than 30 years.

He has had vast experience working with a variety of animals from birds to elephants, although his main interest has always been reptiles.

People can catch up on Mr Slater’s adventures by visiting the park’s website, wmsp.co.uk, when he returns in time for the Easter bank holiday weekend.

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