Wed, Jul 23 01:25 AM
He has fought with a cobra 7m under the ground, shot with alligators, lay down with gharials and wrapped pythons around his neck. Meet Dr Brady Barr, reptile expert on National Geographic Channel, who lives his love every day.
"I love reptiles. Especially of the scaly variety," says Barr.
"They have been on the planet so long and #8230; they are the ultimate survivors." Barr's love affair began early - as a child, he was fascinated by dinosaurs, and was later captivated by crocodiles.
"Crocs are my passion, and I try to be their ambassador, educating all who will listen." Some the most endangered among the crocodile family are the Indian gharials, Chinese alligators and Philippines cors.
This season, Barr will take viewers to some of the least known lands across the globe, featuring white-lipped pit vipers and spitting cobras that eject venom at the same velocity as a water pistol accurately into a predator's eyes up to 8 feet away. India is special for Barr.
"This is one of the few places on Earth that still has an exotic feel to it," he says. "You still find people wearing traditional dresses.
And despite a huge population, you can still find lots of wildlife and wild places." He particularly loves India's crocodiles.
"The gharial," he says, "is simply incredible, the largest of all living crocodilians." But it's the King Cobra which he crowns India's deadliest predator.
"I have the utmost respect for this animal. It has an air of majestic greatness.
It's the complete package of speed, intelligence, stealth and strength." Barr is happy that because Indians consider certain animals sacred and worship them, many species are still surviving the onslaught of human advancement and poaching.
Yet, poaching continues to threaten wildlife and cruelty towards animals is rampant. "There will always be poaching, killing out of fear, ignorance, or for human subsistence.
It seems to be part of human nature," says Barr. Education is the way out, he feels.
"It's always the first step because most of us are not aware of the reality." Like the fact that nearly 70 per cent of the world's turtle population is endangered.
Says Barr, "I try to educate people.
and hope that they will educate others.
".
Today's leading ladies of Hollywood are getting lucrative paychecks, taking together their movie offerings, endorsements, television and fashion deals.
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