Dangeruous Encounters With Barry Barr

Are you willing to court with danger? I bet most of us will think more than twice if you were to be invited to face danger of any kind. 

Did you watch the teaser on National Geographic, if I am not mistaken about the Storm Chasers? The tagline says Most run Some Chase. Thats about it, we will always run away from danger and most probally will not do anything to face danger. Thats an adult way of thinking which is different from kids. for kids, danger might not be in their dictionary when doing anything that can be fun to them. 

As I had said, we will shy away from danger but there are special people around the world who sees danger as an opportunity. We might still remember the late Steeve Irvin (Crocodile Hunter), the Australian wildlife expert who sees danger as his way of life. These are special kind of people. 

Recently I had the opportunity to attend an event at Zoo Negara, Kuala Lumpur, featuring another special kind of individual who loves danger. He is the host of National Geographic Wild host and is a reptile expert, Dr Brady Barr. what makes it more significant for what he preach is that his visit received support from the Ministry of Education (MOE), Academy of Science Malaysia and Malaysian Nature Society. He express to the school kids present to love the reptiles even if they are afraid of it. These reptiles are part of the eco system and if one becomes extinct it can affect the chain in the eco system. He gave an example that snakes helps the spread of diseases spread by rodents such as rats. Rats are carriers of many diseases that harm humans. 

“As a herpetologist, I am passionate about reptiles and amphibians. There is such a natural beauty to them and it is amazing that Malaysia is home to some of the finest species. I can’t wait to get out there to see them,” said Brady. In expressing his excitement, Brady was quick to highlight that these creatures should be treated with caution.  

Brady’s visit coincides with the premiere of his latest series, Dangerous Encounters, season 7. Most Dangerous Encounters & Dangerous Encounters 7 will be kicking off with a 2-hour simulcast, exclusively on National Geographic Channel (Astro Ch 553) and Nat Geo Wild (Astro Ch 550) on 27 June at 8.00pm. Thereafter, new episodes of Dangerous Encounters will be shown every Wednesday at 8.00pm on Nat Geo Wild. 

Who is Dr Brady Barr? He was born in 1963 and is a herpetologist and employed by National Geographic since 1977. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas and graduated from Indiana University and a doctorate from University of Miami. 

To his credential, he is the only person in history to capture and study all 23 species – a feat unlikely to ever be repeated, and one he uses to raise awareness for the plight of crocodilians everywhere.

Dr Brady Barr is in Malaysia when this post is being written and I had the opportunity to attend the event organised by FOX International Channels (FIC) and Astro at Zoo Negara, Kuala Lumpur. He is in Malaysia in search of adventure and

FIC is proud to telecast the premiere of Dangerous Encounters series on Nat Geo Wild - which is currently available in 4 different languages – English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Tamil, 24-hours daily. Nat Geo Wild is currently the No. 1 Factual Entertainment channel in Malaysia, reaching out to 3 million Astro TV households and over 18 million viewers nationwide. The success of Nat Geo Wild is due to the fact that the channel aims to educate viewers about all creatures and their unique roles and place in the eco system. The channel also supports and encourages wildlife conservation.

During his appearance he relates about his experiences and dangers he faced when filming the episodes and that what makes its tittle. 

Participants from the media, bloggers and schoolchildren were also given a hands-on demonstration by Dr Brady himself on how to handle pythons and we were taken to the reticulated python pit where Zoo Negara has 5 pythons in it. Some participants took the opportunity to join him "playing" with the python inside the pit. 

Then he demonstrate how to catch a crocodile and even give tips on how to hold it in your arm to avoid injury to oneself and also to the reptile. The croc that Dr Barry handle during the demo is a female croc of the smallest crocodile species who is guarding her egg nest and therefore is quite aggressive and wary of intruders. 

Below are safety tips from the Dr. Brady himself:

Brady’s Tips to Avoid Snake Attacks:

1. Never ever attempt to pick-up a snake.  It takes an expert to determine whether it is venomous or not.  
2. If you see a snake, just back away.  Snakes will not chase you as they are not aggressive.
3. The only time you’ll be bitten is if you step on the snake or try to pick it up.
4. Keep your yard and home free from trash and clutter, avoid things that will attract rodents and then subsequently attract snakes.

 Brady’s Tips to Avoid Crocodile Attacks:

1. Do not go fishing while wading in water and never attach caught fish to your body.
2. Do not let your kids or pets play around water’s edge. And avoid any activities along water’s edge, especially at dusk.
3. Never approach a crocodile. If you see it, maintain your distance and back away slowly.
4. Never feed crocodiles! This is very dangerous because they become conditioned to associate people with food. 

Two photos below is provided by FOX International Channels and Astro about Dr Brady's mission to get the younger generations to love and care for the reptiles.

You can also pay visit National Geographic Store at Lot 10 Shopping Centre, 50 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250, Kuala Lumpur
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Tel: +60 321 481823 

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