Zimpapers Logo

Natasha Mutsiba, [email protected]

BULAWAYO’s Ndoro Reptile Education Centre, located at 67 Dundee Drive, Montrose, next to Waterworld, has become a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.
Since its opening in August, the centre has garnered positive responses for its diverse collection of reptiles, including lizards, crocodiles, and snakes, and its commitment to educating visitors about these fascinating creatures.

Visitors to the Ndoro Reptile Education Centre are treated to an immersive experience, where they not only get to see these reptiles up close but also learn about their behaviour, habitats, and conservation efforts.

The centre has become a go-to place for schools, which often organise educational trips to enhance students’ understanding of reptiles and their importance in the ecosystem.

“Our mission is basically to educate people on snakes and what to do if there is a snake in their homes or if you have been bitten by a snake. We also try to educate people on areas where you would actually find venomous snakes in your house. We also try to make people more comfortable around snakes. We had several clients that came here with a phobia of snakes but when they come here they leave totally different people which actually makes us happy at the park because they would have overcome their fears because of us,” said Shelby Davids, the personal assistant to the owners of the place, Ahmed Esat and his partner Norman Crooks.

Davids shared insights into the care provided to the reptiles at the centre. She emphasised the centre’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of the reptiles and creating a conducive environment for their growth and development.

“We have a variety of snakes, both indigenous and exotic. We also have crocodiles ranging from the ages of 6 months to 46 years old and lizards as well. We have a system for taking care of our snakes.

“We check their cages to see if they are sick and if they are, we cautiously help them out in the best way we can. Our snakes also have several different diets ranging from mice, rats and rabbits. We also take care of the diets of the snakes. Certain snakes won’t eat certain things and others will. Like our constrictors eat totally different things’” she said.

The fact that all enclosures are padlocked with multiple latches, even for non-venomous snakes, demonstrates the park’s commitment to ensuring the safety of both the animals and the handlers.

“We take safety precautions very seriously at the snake park as all our enclosures are padlocked with two or more latches including our non-venomous snakes. When we go in to clean, we have drop boxes where we will put them into the cage and the snakes gradually go into. Once they are all in we close the box and lock it. We take it out of the cage and we begin our cleaning. When we are doing that there are more or two people in the venomous cages, we do not allow one handler to clean a cage or to feed a venomous snake alone.

There are always two or more of us present,” said Davids.

The place also catches injured snakes and brings them to the park, demonstrating a compassionate and responsible approach towards wildlife.

“We catch snakes if they are injured and we bring them to the park. We basically nurse them to health and once they are healthy we let them go but we don’t let them out in the city and residential areas or bushes near residential areas like Hillside dams. We go way out even past Matopos and our boss, a skilled-snake handler and catcher, tries to take them as far away as possible and set them free,” she said.

Visitors are not only amazed by the diversity of reptiles but also by the opportunity to interact with them under the guidance of knowledgeable staff.

The positive response from the public has been a source of encouragement for the owners and staff at the Ndoro Reptile Education Centre.

They believe that by providing an engaging and educational experience, they can contribute to the conservation of these often-misunderstood creatures.

“We have received great response from the public and the schools enjoyed themselves. We have had tourists and they were impressed with our standards and couldn’t believe Zimbabwe has a reptile education centre,” she said.

As Ndoro Reptile Education Centre continues to make strides in reptile education and conservation, it remains a must-visit destination for both locals and tourists.
With its commitment to providing an enriching experience and promoting reptile conservation, the centre is poised to become a leading hub for reptile enthusiasts and education in Bulawayo and beyond. — @TashaMutsiba