The Python Park Festival took a dangerous turn this weekend as East London’s own Survivor SA: Philippines winner Tom Swartz conquered yet another death-defying challenge.
After spending a good 25 minutes in a 5m-long enclosure with 15 adult western diamondback rattlesnakes, Swartz said he was relieved to make it out unscathed.
“It was extremely scary. I’m not opposed to snakes but I’m not a big fan. I know they are just going about their business and they’re not really interested in us.
“But in an artificial habitat the only place to go is to us,” said a shaky Swartz, who couldn’t get out of the enclosure fast enough.
The crazy idea came in the form of a challenge by the Venom Pit Snake Park, who offered Swartz a R2,500 donation to Cansa EL if he survived a 20-minute sitting with the “pit vipers”.
During the sitting, the audience challenged Swartz to an extra five minutes in return for an extra R500 donation.
Venom Pit’s Shaun Boucher said western diamondback rattlesnake venom is among the deadliest.
“If you get bitten by one of these, you’re in trouble because there is no anti-venom. Tom needs to stay very still and show no fear,” said Boucher before Swartz went in.
As a safety measure, Venom Pit curator Juan Marillier accompanied Swartz for his “sit out”, keeping the slithering forked-tongued creatures far from a nervous Swartz.
“They’re very inquisitive snakes,” said Marillier, who sat between Swartz and the 15 rattlesnakes for the duration of the challenge.
Swartz said he had to do it for charity.
“I feel really good to be out and it feels great to have done it for a good cause, but it was definitely not my favourite and I’m glad it’s over” Swartz said.
While the Python Park Festival is an annual event, this year they joined forces with the Survive the Race Relay for Life Cansa fundraising event for the first time.
“We decided to come together in an attempt to raise more funds for Cansa,” said Boucher...