Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Learn about snakes at coastal festival
FRANÇOIS van Zyl has a job few would jump at. In fact, most people would rather run a mile than handle snakes.
But Van Zyl is facinated by the reptiles and has decades of experience working with these slithery creatures and other animals. He has worked in reptile education and conservation for 22 years.
Van Zyl runs an organisation called Slithering Fynbos, and is enthusiastic about educating young people about snakes and the role they play in the environment.
He gladly shares his knowledge at awareness campaigns, educational shows and birthday parties.
Van Zyl studied zoology at Stellenbosch University, where he still does research.
He has also been involved in numerous research expeditions around South Africa.
Van Zyl helps children understand the beauty, necessity and potential dangers of snakes and other reptiles found in the Cape and is involved in the supply of venom for injections which help treat snakebite victims.
Van Zyl will be doing one of his talks about snakes at this year’s Tru-Cape Windgat Festival in Pringle Bay on Saturday, September 7.
He will bring along at least six reptiles for children to take a look at.
His one-hour talk on snakes will start at 11 am at the Pringle House Eco School, Central Road, Pringle Bay.
The school will be running a programme to educate and entertain children.
This will include old-fashioned fairground games such as apple- in- the- spoon races and using a towel to see who can toss their apple highest into the air and catch it again.
Kids will also learn how to make puppets from recycled junk and sun catchers that twinkle in the light.
At 2.30pm, Van Zyl will do a guided walk for children and their families in search of reptiles in their natural environment. He will point out the beautiful fynbos flowers, which should be especially spectacular in spring.
The walk, along the Brodie Link, will begin and end on the edge of the reserve on Clarence Drive, just a few meters after the entrance to Pringle Bay, when travelling towards Betty’s Bay. The walk is along a wellmarked path.
Bring good walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, a hat, drinking water and a walking stick. The pace will be slow, so this walk can be enjoyed by moderately fit people of all ages.
The festival will offer activities for the whole family. These include a fashion show, a painta-thon, fun run and walk and a cake competition.
Tru-Cape apples and pears will be used in the best bake and potjiekos competitions on Saturday, while the expanded Village Market will have homemade food, clothes, chocolates, crafts and jewellery on sale.
Artist Anna-Marie Breytenbach will be exhibiting sculptures and pottery.
Food stalls will be set up in the festival tent from early morning, offering everything from coffee and bacon-and-egg rolls to spit braais and potjies.
There will be loads to eat while on the go and all the Pringle Bay restaurants will be trading too.
There will be a live music programme from 1pm until late into the evening on Saturday.
For adults, there’s a winetasting fair.
On Sunday there will be art workshops for the family and a family lunch will be served in the tent.
For more information see www.Tru-Cape.co.za