Bennett True, a recent biochemistry grad, has recently hatched a mission to educate local audiences about venomous snakes. Most recently, he performed at the Hoedspruit Reptile Center in Limpopo, South Africa. In the live demonstration, he safely looked at and touched many of the planet’s most poisonous reptiles, such as the snouted cobra. This event was planned not just to delight, but to educate the public about these amazing, yet often vilified, reptiles and encourage greater respect and understanding for them.
Throughout the demonstration, True deftly handled a snouted cobra. Although this beautiful snake is dangerously venomous, it is understandably docile if treated gently. He reared up the front third of his body and spread out his hood. He only stole a hiss in self-defense and then, oh so authentically, replicating the true serpent’s behavior. By taking part in this demonstration, True helped to show that snakes are more than just scary creatures.
True’s adventure into the world of venomous snakes was a thrilling one. This incredible journey began when he spent six weeks as a Laidlaw Scholar at the Hoedspruit Reptile Center. At first intimidated by the prospect of working with such exotic beasts, he soon adjusted and mastered the art. By the end of his tenure, Matt had developed confidence in handling venomous snakes. He even volunteered to deworm a black mamba infected with parasites.
Understanding Venomous Snakes
True’s aim is much bigger than just entering the funny snake video sweepstakes. He wants to teach people the value of knowing snakes. He explained that the general public sees these reptiles as man-killing monsters. Educated and cautious use can change the perception of them.
“By safely handling these snakes, we can show snakes not as aggressive, but as calm animals,” – Bennett True
True completed her up-close education at the Hoedspruit Reptile Center. This chance allowed him to pursue his larger aspiration of addressing major global health concerns associated with snakebites. His work has focused on preventing deaths due to such incidents through education and training. The center makes for a perfect setting for these types of demonstrations, giving him a great outlet to engage local audiences.
Besides their hands-on steering wheel skills, True has participated as an academic actor conversing within and contributing to debates around global health challenges. At Tufts University he fell in love with the transformational course, “The Emerging Global Health Crisis.” His clinical experience gave him a new perspective on how snake bites impact communities across the world.
A Personal Journey
True, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. His fascination with biochemistry ignited a spirit of adventure in probing into venom research. With the long-term goal of developing safer, more effective antivenoms, he hopes to go on to a Ph.D. True envisions a world where knowing more about venomous snakes leads to better solutions to assist snake bite victims.
His year in South Africa has been a life changing experience. Today, his relationship with snake bite prevention is more personal than ever. As a result, he’s been more convinced than ever that education is key to changing misconceptions about these amazing reptiles. He wants to amplify this message as far and as wide as possible. By means of programs such as spread by his demonstration at the Hoedspruit Reptile Center, he hopes everyone will learn to respect and appreciate these animals.
“Maintain your distance if you encounter one; they are aggressive only when they feel threatened. If you understand and respect them, they’ll respect you,” – Bennett True
Future Aspirations
Bennett True, who is looking forward to expanding on his experiences at the Hoedspruit Reptile Center. He looks forward to continuing to explore this knowledge in his future research. His aim is clear: to contribute to the reduction of snake bite fatalities through innovative antivenom solutions and public education initiatives.
Looking back, True considers his successes at the core as highlights of his professional career. He sees them as important additions to addressing a significant global health challenge. This fusion of practical experience and academic study has uniquely positioned him for continued success in this critical profession.
