What a hissing good time

ADVENTURE: A GREAT DAY OUT WITH ENOUGH DISTANCE IN BETWEEN THE COUCH, EXCURSION

A visit to Croc City and Reptile Park is a great educational experience.

Weekends are great pauses between workdays but, when you have a family, especially with young children, it can sometimes be perplexing when googling activities that are not too far from home, yet offer a great day out with enough distance in between the couch and the excursion.

Crocodile City and Reptile Park is a great three-hour plus lunch outing just outside the main Fourways drag in Chartwell. Here, you do not even notice the traffic outside when marvelling and interacting with some scary cold-blooded fauna.

Croc City and Reptile Park was founded 16 years ago by couple Anton and Marietjie Lotter, and the venue has attracted families for well over a decade. It was originally started as a commercial crocodile farm, but time shifted the pair’s focus to conservation. Many of the animal’s resident on site have been either rescued or donated. See giant Nile crocodiles, alligators and a collection of venomous and non-venomous snakes and arachnids. There is a large play area for kids and a pizza terrace for lunch.

On Sunday mornings at

11am there is a venomous

snake show, with crocodile feeding thankfully after lunch at 2pm. A kid’s highlight is the general snake show, presented either at the beginning of the tour or at its tail, with interaction available. A corn snake, a python and, when she is in a good mood, a giant Amazonian anaconda star, among others. Then there is also the interaction with Tarantulas, not for the faint-hearted parent but oh so attractive to youngsters.

A large selection of snakes and reptiles may be viewed, including a 4m-long black mamba. Guide Brendan is extremely knowledgeable and speaks lovingly about the cold-bloods he cares for.

“Mambas are the most dangerous snakes in the world,” yet at feeding time he steps into its enclosure and the snake collects its meal from his hand. He says that by creating repetitive behaviours and ensuring that the animal becomes used to his scent molecules, he has managed to avoid being bitten.

Crocodiles seem docile most of the day but do not be fooled. At feeding time these giant and highly evolved animals spring to life.

Nile crocodiles, he says, kills more than 400 humans annually and are the most dangerous. Intelligent beyond belief, they see humans as food.

Sensors on their bodies also allow crocs to sense disturbances in water flow and differentiate between species. It is incredible how these animals, that can live up to a century, have evolved to survive.

While ostriches are said to have the most powerful immune systems in nature, crocodiles are not far behind.

“A croc can eat a rat with bubonic plague and not be affected at all,” says Brendan.

Fighting and aggressive activity requires a rapidly healing body, and this has evolved over millennia. He adds that crocodile byproducts made from its fat layers can relieve skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Burn victims also benefit substantially from the topical application of same.

The tortoises and bunnies roaming freely about the property are a stark contrast to the predators, venomous snakes, constrictors, and scary spiders.

A visit to Croc City and Reptile Park is a great educational experience for adults and children alike and, for younger kids, an absolute adventure. The park is situated close to Lanseria International Airport and opens seven days a week from 9am to 4.30pm. Admission is R90 for adults, R80 for pensioners and R60 for children.

Mambas are the most dangerous snakes in the world