Pikkieland pupils get close to reptiles

As part of their education about reptiles, the pupils at Pikkieland Crèche and Pre-Primary School in Zonnebloem had the opportunity to touch a Boa Constrictor and a Rock Monitor.

Mariaan Pretorius, the principal of Pikkieland, said the school's theme for the week was dinosaurs and reptiles, so they invited Bjorn Unger, the owner of Reptile Garden in Bellville, to give an instructional talk.

“This will teach them to not be scared of the snakes, to be careful around reptiles, and how to treat these little and big animals. They got to touch them and now they know that not all snakes are not a danger to them,” said Ms Pretorius.

“Some of them were scared at first, you can see that, but by the end of the session most of them were happy to touch the reptiles. We teach them that snakes are not bad or evil, that snakes are shy and solitary animals, that they have warning systems and that snakes are not here to hurt anyone and that they are important to the ecosystem,” Mr Unger said.

Mr Unger brought a Rhombic Egg Eater, a Boa Constrictor, a New Caledonian Giant Gecko, two angular tortoises, a Reticulated Python as well as a Rock Monitor that pupils could touch or, if they were brave enough, hold.

“The kids are not as scared as the adults and they got to touch the Rhombic Egg Eater. It’s totally harmless, and they got to touch all the snakes, so they were all comfortable with the snakes. I didn’t bring any venomous snakes along,” he said.