This is Part I of a four-part series on the Discovery Channel show Venom Hunters and the apparent bad behavior of the network, production company, and cast members involved. Stay tuned for more.
"I think the excuse that it's just TV is bullshit. It's just TV that hurts the animals, hurts people, and dumbs down science," Jim Harrison said with quiet anger. It was clear he's no fan of one of Discovery Channel's newest reality shows, Venom Hunters. Jim Harrison, the director of the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, has collected venoms for scientific research and antivenom development for decades. He's one of the most experienced and well-known professionals in the venom business, and he, like many who work with venomous animals for a living, has spoken out on social media against the show. Jim and I were sitting at a table during one of the breaks on the last full day of Venom Week, joined by several other distinguished members of the venomous reptile community. Carl Barden, director of the Reptile Discovery Center in Florida, sat to my left, his lips slightly pursed as Jim explained his objections. "People are going to go and over-collect, and they have no husbandry skills, so snakes are going to die. And then there are going to be bites, because they don't know what they're doing," Jim said. "You think it's going to go that far?" Carl asked, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. "I do," Jim replied sternly. "They're already doing it. We're already getting calls and emails, people trying to sell us venom, trying to sell us snakes." Several nodded and voiced their agreement with Jim. Carl frowned. "I really didn't think much about it."
