Leaving Abli and the village .. my team wanted to know if we were going home. Their faces lit up with smiles when I told them that I wanted to pop in and see another friend a little way down the road and then we could have a drink and something to eat in Kartong .. the most Southerly point of The Gambia which is on the border with The Casamance - Southern Sénégal.

Little did either of them know that the 'friend' I wanted to see was Priscilla the Puff Adder who had been caught in my fence netting in January and saved from certain death to take up residence in Luc's Snake and Reptile Farm, a little further down the coast at Medina. It was a toss up as to which of the pair of them was the most scared of snakes, but had I mentioned anything about seeing snakes, neither Babucar nor Mariame would have even left home !!

Side-stepping their questions as to exactly who we were going to visit worked very well, until I found the roadside sign and turned into the small track leading to Luc's place. The writing on the sign didn't mean much to either of them, but the surrounding paintings of snakes, lizards and scorpions certainly did. Howls of anguish and looks of sheer terror erupted !!!
No way were they going to get out of the car .. and firmly decided they would remain in the car.

Fine said I, laughing .. you wait here whilst I go and see Priscilla .. although I have to tell you that occasionally some of Luc's animals have been known to escape into the surrounding area.
So keep a good look out .. if you are really lucky .. you might be able to see some !!
Two very nervous passengers rapidly exited the car and followed me very closely to the entrance.

Yes, I have a wicked sense of humour, but I was hoping that the visit would be an educational one for them both. Snakes in Africa are traditionally avoided or slaughtered by the locals and therefore most never have the opportunity to see and study them in safety. Possibly this might give some understanding that not all are dangerous .. and as part of the local wildlife, should be preserved.

We received a warm welcome from Luc at his house .. but as he was busy with fellow enthusiasts working on their laptops with batteries quickly running down .. he apologised and passed us over to his new assistant to show us where Priscilla was.

Believe me, this looks a calm situation .. but it took 5 minutes of gentle persuasion to get them this close to Priscilla's new home. Looking healthy and much larger than her companions, there she was.

 

Albeit not in ideal conditions compared to European zoo standards .. but better there than dead !

Luc's assistant ( left ) had only been working as a guide for a few months, but spoke as authoritatively as an experienced herpetologist. I had only been intending to pay a quick visit to see Priscilla and not subject my ( now former ) friends to more 'fearful exposure' than necessary.
But our guide, who was from a tribe closely related to Babucar's, insisted on giving us a full tour of the farm .. most probably to give him extra time to tease Babucar about his fear of snakes !!

Babucar, never one to resist a challenge, forced himself to became quite brave, to preserve both his manliness and tribal pride, as our guide lifted out the non venomous snakes for closer examination.
Mariame, continued to hover at a safe distance, as we saw all different types of snakes, lizards, turtles and tortoises that Luc has, becoming a little more confident when the inhabitants were well away from the walls of their enclosures and unexpectedly for both, the experience did prove to be interesting. Having been to the farm on many occasions in the past and nearing the end of the tour, I knew what was coming.

Luc has some vivariums containing snakes, scorpions and other small reptiles, in a shady area where you can buy a beer or soft drink and relax. The tours always finish here, with the guide lifting out a harmless small python and giving the guests the opportunity of touching or even holding it.
As soon as our guide took the snake out, I asked him to pass it to me and encouraged Babucar to touch it, telling him it was safe and would feel just like cool plastic. Very gingerly he did .. and eventually bravely managed to hold the Python, for the few seconds it took to take a photograph !

No doubt he spent the next two weeks telling all his friends how brave he was .. and will be looking forward to receiving a copy of this picture to be able to prove it to them. Well done that man !!