Me too. I decided at one point that there were enough incredible non venomous snakes and exotics that there was no need to get the highest risk animals.
Thanks. My Dad was fearless when it came to wildlife. If he saw a skunk crossing the road at night, he'd stop when it would freeze from the headlights, go over to it and pick it up by the tail....put it in a box from the trunk. Then he'd relocate it to a place with no traffic. He and my uncle's were outdoorsmen who loved wildlife and taught me when they had the chance. That must have rubbed off on me.
I was blessed to turn wildlife education into a career and a ministry. The Lord opened many doors. I have scars from bites and claw tear injuries, but no big deal. Just good memories of the work I loved. Still have all the body parts attached...lol
One thing that I helped others with was to overcome fear, even serious phobias through education. I found that The more you understand something, the less you fear them. I had the privilege to do this individually, with crowds and in media.
You are very brave too. It's a joy to hear your stories and experiences.
How did you overcome the fears that maybe you had?
I think you are certainly one of a kind! Handling those exquisitely lovely, yet unimaginably dangerous, critters is an incredible feat even for the most brave! Even if you are no longer handling high risk animals, anyone that is doing what you do with wildlife is amazing!
In my case, I think growing up in the country and having very critter friendly folks helped a lot. I would be sad if I couldn't go outside, but that's how I was raised. Also, being a creationist helps immensely. I don't look at spiders, bugs, or critters with fear. Instead, I'm...well, I'm usually giddy lol. I just love critters. I get a childlike happiness when I see a critter. My amazement of the Lord's creation never seems to leave me no matter how old I get. Sometimes if I see a critter I've never seen before, I get speechless. I know I've mentioned it before, but to me it's like looking at God's artwork.
Having said that, I'm in awe and respect of your bravery and your work. I might be dog paddling through a creek infested with water snakes and gar, while you are swimming way ahead! I'm just thankful I'm not stuck up on the bank, but even up there there's still neat things to see. Even in a big city, I see some neat critters. People just need to slow down, tune out the static of daily life, and look around them.
Bless you!