Snake Off Deadly 60 Bites

On Deadly 60, I've had loads of incredible animal encounters.

Here's just one of my many favourites.

Deadly 60 might not just be about

the animals that are dangerous to people,

but you couldn't come to South Africa and not do snakes.

Some of the most exciting snakes in the world are found in this area.

So, to show you as much about them as possible,

I've come to Khamai Reptile Park

to meet an old friend and a great hero of mine,

and if you think that I'm a bit obsessed with snakes,

trust me, you haven't seen anything yet.

Where is he?! He's gone!

-Hello!

-Don! How are you?

-DOG BARKS

-Oh, my goodness! Deadly dog!

We've been checking out some of the snakes here in the park

and we've narrowed it down to three contenders

for the Deadly 60 list.

SNAKE HISSES

Even people that are passionate about snakes, like Donald and I,

can never really agree

on what the most dangerous snakes in South Africa are,

so we're gonna have a good look at these snakes in detail.

-What better place than the snake pit?

-Yeah!

I have to say, Don, this is a genius idea of yours

to have this chat surrounded by deadly venomous snakes.

The sound man doesn't look too happy about it!

I'm scared!

We're talking about a lot of snakes that potentially could harm humans,

but there's only one in the whole of Africa

that could actually eat a person. All these other ones,

if they strike you, if they get venom into you,

they're only doing it from defence,

but a rock python, potentially, could kill and eat a person.

You stink! You smell terrible!

You smell like perfumes, you smell like soaps, you smell like clothing.

Pythons don't eat that.

If you don't go bath for a month or two, maybe.

You're talking about a snake that can be as long as a limousine,

as fat around as my waist is,

it's got that strength, that ability,

to choke the life out of a creature.

And then, you know, once it's done that,

it can pretty much dislocate its entire jaw,

walk its mouth over prey that's phenomenally big.

Not a big lad like you, no.

You're not gonna be eaten by an African python.

When they strike and you see all of those massive rows

of recurved, needle-sharp teeth, that can be really scary.

Scary, yes, but appearance doesn't portray aggression.

Here's a python.

STEVE LAUGHS

That's not fair!

You can't bring a little cuddly one like that into the equation!

You're totally blowing my argument, Don!

OK, fair enough, I'm gonna give you rock python.

What's your next argument?

The black mamba's got to be the most dangerous of the snakes.

This really is an awesome creature.

It's the largest venomous snake in Africa,

growing up to four-and-a-half metres,

and if you were trying to run away from it, it could overtake you.

The name black mamba refers to the black lining of its mouth.

It actively hunts its prey and there's enough venom in one bite

to kill as many as 20 or 30 men.

It's quite a nasty way to go,

I would imagine, being bitten by a black mamba.

Black mamba's got a neurotoxin, nerve-affecting venom.

It's gonna kill you within 15 minutes to maybe two hours.

When you speak about other snake venoms, it takes hours

or days to kill.

But, it paralyses, so stops breathing, stops heart,

and you are then clinically dead.

OK, I tell you what I'll go for. It's the rinkhals.

To show you a rinkhals in action, we've taken one

to the bush outside the sanctuary.

This is a fiery snake!

You can see he's rearing up towards me, ooh!

And just flicked venom all down my arm!

Certainly not as accurate as you see in some spitting cobras,

but if it goes in the eyes, it's gonna be just as effective.

Now... Look at that!

Ooh! Perfect.

He actually flicked venom straight at me.

Actually, a little bit went into my mouth.

You can taste is has a kind of rusty taste to it.

'The venom can't harm me unless it gets into my bloodstream.'

That actually did go right into my mouth.

What I'm trying to do is restrain the head.

To actually give it an impression of what would happen

if an animal was to attack it, what it would do.

So, I'm just gently hoping that I'll be able to hold the head down...

Wow!

OK...

And he just spat straight at the camera.

I think there are a few flecks of venom just on the outside

of the lens hood.

'This isn't hurting the snake but it does allow me to show you

'how incredible it is.'

Now... With the head restrained,

and the snake really feeling like it has nowhere to go,

the next thing that the rinkhals does...

..is play dead.

Look at that!

From the ferocious, agitated, moving snake we had before,

it's gone totally limp, so this

is the rinkhals' last line of defence.

No motion whatsoever and any animal that won't take dead prey

is not gonna be interested, it's gonna leave it alone.

Anything that will and gets up too close is gonna get a nasty surprise,

and probably a bite.

Now that's what I call a clever snake.

That's brains! People think of snakes

as being creatures with tiny, insignificant brains,

that are stupid, only think about eating, sleeping and getting warm.

The rinkhals proves it is absolutely not true.

So, is it the rock python, with its incredible strength and size?

Fast, furious and highly venomous, the black mamba is a true contender

for the deadly title.

Or is it the rinkhals, with its venom-flicking ability

and deadly tactics?

I think the black mamba gets my Deadly 60 stamp,

but I mean, I throw it open to you lot. What do you think?

Yeah, black mamba. We agree with you, Steve. I agree with you.

Whatever you say, Steve. You're the expert.

Black mamba - sorted.

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