Feeling Wild About Animal Magnetism

The scaly, slithery and downright scary are all on show these school holidays.

But those fears will be put to rest by Reptile Encounter director Josh Cox, whose mission is to create a generation of “better humans”.

“I guess we’re born with that innate fear, particularly of snakes, but we try to get people to appreciate the uniqueness of our reptiles. You don’t necessarily have to love them but you should respect them,” he said.

Through his entertaining shows, Mr. Cox aims to connect people to the outdoors.

“Nowadays with COVID-19 we get stuck indoors in front of the TV and less time out in the bush,” he said.

Reptile Encounter, bin Burwood, has 450 animals in its collection, including the yellow-spotted monitor and the critically endangered bettong.