Herpetologist brings traveling reptile show

Published 11:34 pm Monday, August 20, 2007

NATCHEZ — Snaaaake! Big snakes, little snakes, poisonous, non-poisonous, constrictors, vipers, cobras — even a larger than life crocodile and alligator are lounging in the Fred’s parking lot in Vidalia.

Over 50 cold-blooded creatures are visiting the Miss-Lou in Danny England’s traveling reptile show — International Attractions.

“It’s the largest traveling show of its kind, three trailers full,” said England, a herpetologist and reptile lover since his adolescent years.

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Covering Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri, England and his collection are visiting the Miss-Lou for the second time in four years.

Specializing in the largest and more venomous snakes, England has imported, traded, bought and successfully bred many of his snakes to fuel his traveling exhibit over the past 30 years.

“I’ve always been fascinated with reptiles, it started as a hobby then turned into a business,” England said. “I basically put together the show I wished would have come to my hometown when I was a kid,” he adds.

When asked his favorite specimen England remarked, “The crocodile would have to be number one because it has more of a personality than the rest of the animals, it actually recognizes me.”

England’s Nile crocodile and its American alligator companion dine on 30 to 40 pounds of chicken, steak and roast each week.

“They’re very large for their species,” England said. “The gator is over 100 years old and isn’t getting any longer but is getting fatter currently weighing 1,000 pounds while the croc is 14 feet, 950 pounds and still growing.”

One of England’s standouts is a 100 pound albino Burmese python named Mona.

“It was donated to us by a guy in Bastrop who felt it had gotten too big for him so I took it and gave it a good home,” England said.

The python is not the only hitchiker that travels with the exhibit however, one of England’s handlers, Sandy Summers, 21, came upon the show in her hometown of Shreveport shortly after graduating high school and jumped aboard.

“I’ve always been into animals,” Summers said. “And the traveling is a great way to meet people and see different places.”

England’s 41-year-old daughter Angie Hall also travels with the exhibition and handles the slithering beasts.

“I’ve been handling snakes all my life, mammals are cool but I was raised around the reptiles,” Hall said. “It’s in my blood.”

International Attractions will be in the area until Sunday and is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission for the snake and crocodile exhibit is $5 for adults, $4 for children ages 6-12 and $2 for children 5 years old and under.