Watamu Snake Farm

When we visited the Nairobi National Museum, the kids seemed to take particular interest in the snake museum behind the National Musuem so we couldn’t miss the opportunity to visit the best snake farm in East Africa. The name can be a little misleading because this is no ordinary “farm”, actually it is a research and education center and houses the Taylor Ashe Antivenom Foundation. The main mission of the Watamu Snake Farm is to educate the community about snakebite prevention and treatment as snakes are the source of the most human-wildlife conflict in Kenya. Snake bites are a persistent problem especially in rural villages, factories, wildlife conservancies and parks. The aim of the Taylor Ashe Antivenom Foundation is to be part of the progress in making snake antivenom available to those who need it. They provide snake venom for free to research facilities and labs to further the study and understanding of venom.
 
Our visit to the Snake Farm was brought to life by our guide, Zachariah, who was passionate and knowledgeable about snakes. He wasn’t formally educated as a biologist or herpetologist (person who studies reptiles and amphibians) but he knew everything there was to know about snakes. I didn’t notice, but the children noticed Zachariah was missing the middle finger of his right hand.
 
He shared with us the story of how he lost it. When he first arrived at the Snake Farm, he was working with another snake handler to put a Puff Adder into a box. The Puff Adder is extremely venomous with enough poison to kill 4-5 men. It is aggressive and causes the most snakebite fatalities in Africa. The snake struck and his fang just nicked the side of his finger. Zachariah knew exactly what to do – stay calm. His colleagues took him to the Watamu Hospital where he was administered snake anti-venom. Although the anti-venom saved his life, it could not save his finger. After a few days, his finger began turning black and doctors told him it needed to be amputated.
 
I asked Zachariah if his feeling toward snakes changed after that day. He replied that snakes are his passion and he loves being around them every day. It is inspiring to meet somebody driven by a deep and unconditional passion such that work becomes a life endeavor.
 
Zachariah took us around the Snake Farm and introduced us to every kind of snake that can be found in Kenya. We saw a Black Mamba, Gaboon Viper, Puff Adder, Boomslang, African Rock Python and many more. All of the snakes were collected by the local community, meaning that when local residents come across a venomous or dangerous snake, they can call the Snake Farm and somebody will come to collect it.
 
The highlight of our visit was watching the snake handlers “milk” venom from an African Rock Python. Three handlers have to work together. They first put on protective equipment and white coats before beginning the procedure. They feed the snake into a hollow tube to protect themselves because snakes can’t easily slither backwards. A handler secures the head with a flat, blunt instrument and then forces the venom out from the fangs into a cup. A surprising amount of venom then drips into a small vial. Snakes never really run out of venom but the first bite or extraction releases the most venom. Even though we were separated from the procedure by a glass window, I still felt a little nervous. I applaud the snake handlers for their courage and dedication for putting their lives at risk to do this work.
 
After completing the tour of the Snake Farm, we asked Zachariah what his favorite snake was. He said it was the Egyptian Cobra because it was the first snake that he ever caught with his own two hands. It looked at him square in the eyes without striking. He took his chance and grabbed it with his hands. He was only 14 years old when he caught it and brought it home in a jar. His mother was furious at him and punished him for playing with venomous snakes. I think his mother must be very proud today to see him live out his passion as a snake expert, inspiring visitors from all over the world. What a pleasure it was to meet Zachariah and how fortunate we were to have him as our guide at the Watamu Snake Farm.
 
After our visit to Watamu Snake Farm, we went for a treat at a gelato shop called Non Solo Gelato. RY and DY picked the fluorescent blue “Smurf” flavor. AY ordered the passionfruit and EY got the traditional chocolate. I enjoyed one of my favorites, Stracciatella while Leo ordered a coffee and a Nutella cannoli. There could be no better ending to another perfect day.