MEET THE EXPERTS

Lee Parker

Facility Manager
Reptilia
Website: http://www.reptilia.org/
Phone: 1-888-737-8454
Email: lparker@reptilita.org

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Born in the small town of Springs in South Africa, Lee Parker developed an interest in wildlife from the smallest bugs to large mammals. But what really interested the now facility manager at Reptilia in Vaughan were reptiles.

In high school Parker acquired his first pair of snakes, a collection which grew to 108 snakes living in his room by the time he finished school. After graduation, Parker turned his reptile hobby into a career, leaving home to work for a reptile park called Croc River Reptile Park under South Africa’s top snake handler and Black Mamba expert Donald Strydom.

Parker spent two years developing his skills at this park, before taking the head curator position at Strydom’s Swadini Reptile Park. Located deeper in South Africa’s bush and Black Mamba country, the responsibilities bestowed upon Parker at the park allowed him the opportunity to be involved in the removal of some of the most venomous snakes in the area, including the Spiting Cobra, Egyptian Cobra, Boomslang, Vine Snake, Puff Adder and of course the Black Mamba.

After three and a half years here, Parker moved on, switching gears in his career by taking people on walks into South Africa’s reserves. But his love of reptiles never left him, so less than a year later he took a job as manager of the reptile section in Johannesburg’s Montecasino Bird Gardens.

Three years later, Parker heard about the opening at Reptilia in Canada and decided to apply. After accepting the job, Parker had to find homes for the 48 venomous snakes he kept as pets, but is happy he made the move. Having enjoyed the last year and a half in Canada, Parker expects to spend many years working at Reptilia.