Live Reptile Education for Schools and Events
Image caption: Chris Williams presenting a live reptile demonstration at the Royal Easter Show
Chris Williams, owner of Urban Reptile Removal, met Anthony Stimson in the mid 1980s, when both were reptile mad teenagers at the Australian Herpetological Society. Their paths have crossed ever since, held together by a shared love of reptiles and a drive to teach people about them.
Decades on, they're both still doing it: helping children and adults understand reptiles, stay safe around snakes and appreciate the part these animals play in the Australian environment.
Bringing Reptiles to NSW Schools
Snake Tales has been taking educational reptile shows into schools across New South Wales for more than 30 years.
Herpetologist Bob Withey started Snake Tales in 1988, and since then it has reached two million students across the state. Anthony Stimson and his team now carry that work forward, bringing decades of experience with reptiles and a hands on style that introduces students to Australian snakes, lizards, crocodiles and turtles safely and memorably.
Linked to the NSW Science Syllabus
Presentations from Snake Tales can be shaped around different age groups and stages of the NSW Science syllabus, including the Living World strand.
Students learn how reptiles live, how they behave and how they fit into their environment, building on what they're already covering in class.
Programs suit every year level, from Kindergarten to Year 12.
Getting Up Close
Students see a range of Australian reptiles at close quarters, in a safe and supervised setting.
They can handle non venomous snakes, lizards and turtles while learning about their behaviour, their biology and where they fit in the environment.
For plenty of students, it's the first time they've been close to an Australian reptile, and it's an experience that sticks.
Learning to Stay Safe Around Snakes
Every Snake Tales presentation includes practical snake safety for students and teachers.
That covers what to do if a snake turns up at school, how to act safely around snakes and the basics of snakebite first aid.
The goal isn't to scare children. It's to give them the knowledge and confidence to handle an encounter safely if they ever have one.
Presentations That Hold Attention
Anthony keeps presentations lively and age appropriate with a mix of live animals, stories, demonstrations and plenty of student involvement.
Each one is pitched to suit the group, whether that's young children meeting a snake for the first time or senior students studying biology and the natural world.
More than three decades in, the idea behind Snake Tales hasn't changed. Let students experience Australian reptiles for themselves, teach them how to stay safe around snakes, and help them value the animals they share their environment with.
Image caption: Chris Williams demonstrating snakebite first aid to a school group with Snake Tales
Anthony and the Snake Tales educators are available for school incursions, fetes, birthday parties and just about any event where people would enjoy getting up close to Australian reptiles and learning more about them. Check availability here
Changes beyond the rewording:
Fixed "Anthony Stimson and his team continues" to "carry", since "his team" makes it plural
Completed "Royal Easter" to "Royal Easter Show" in the caption
Reworded the second caption slightly. The original says "Chris Williams from Snake Tales", which sits oddly on the URR site. Change it back if you present under Snake Tales