As things would have it, life changes and takes a person on avenues one never would’ve thought. The untimely passing of my father when I was 13 changed many things. From months spent in the bush, to a city life. From months spent in the beautiful expanse of the Karoo to a city life. From a farm school to a big city school; Career priorities changed, and after awhile you still feel your heart tugging you into a direction it should be, but your brain ignores it.

My love for animals and nature is something that was instilled in me from a very early age. My father had a great love for nature, and felt it important to share this. My first memory of the wild was a six month trip into the Okavango basin when I was 5 years old. This was also my first experience with wild crocodiles, and whilst I didn’t get physically bitten, they bit deep into my being and ensured a life long passion for animals, and a deep emphasis on reptiles.

I was hooked. My first book was Struik’s little field guide to the snakes of Southern Africa by Bill Branch. That little book was like most kids have a teddy bear or something. The next book was Okavango: Sea of Land, Land of Water. A photographic panorama of the wonderful memories I shared with my dad. The page with the Black Mamba photo is the most worn page in that book. It was like a drug. I needed more, never enough. Programs like 50⁄50 helped take the edge off, but always I needed more.

I finished school and completed an apprenticeship as a Boilermaker, and left the tools as quick as I could. But due to lack of interest, I could never really find my feet. It was a job, an income. I figured it would be best to advance, and started to study for a Draughtsman. But, as with my trade, I had no interest in my work and failed in various positions over time. My only success, if you can call it that, was a quickly growing collection of various reptiles, mostly indigenous snakes but also included exotics like Copperheads and Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon sp.)

I decided to broaden my experience and left for England to pursue a career in Draughting. The change in location didn’t improve my interest much, and I ended up traveling over the countryside, doing any jobs I could find to keep food on my plate. But traveling through the countryside, I realized what was missing. Looking at the perfection of the fields and the woods, I knew that Africa was what was missing. The animals, the wind, the rain, the memories of time spent in places where it seems man has never set foot. I left England that same week.

Now was the hard part, finding a way to do what I wanted.

My initial thought was defeatist, it needed to remain a dream. So initially I just started collecting various reptiles again, and not slowly. I had around 300 animals in as little as a few months, ranging from King Cobras to Mambas to crocodiles. A collection like this is never going to be without its problems, housing being the major factor. As with the passing of my father, life gave me another little twist, a good one. I started work at an aluminum company as a draughtsman, but my then boss taught me that anything is possible if you want it enough.

I decided to try, and ended up at Chameleon Village Reptile and Conservation Park as a volunteer. My initial days were disturbing; A South African reptile park with no Black Mambas on display? A travesty!!! And so, a variety of my animals found their way to the park. And I was to follow. Eventually I had found my way, and the work I wanted to do. Along the way I have met some fascinating people, including my life partner, and done some bizarre things, including an almost 4 month stay with some of Africa’s deadliest snakes, but it has all been worth it.

Currently I am also busy furthering my studies in the field of zoology, as well as working on various projects to help further awareness and protection of very misunderstood creatures. Hopefully it can benefit the animals I love so much.

A last, but certainly not least, word of thanks to my lovely lady. You have been my rock, my support, my inspiration to tackle life and all its challenges.
Thank you, I appreciate everything you do

Mad Martin