Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted a video showing him grabbing two non-venomous black racer snakes bare-handed by their tails on a patio connected to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. The clip prompted mixed reactions online, including joy, disbelief, and concern, as the snakes bit toward his fingers and his wife, Cheryl Hines, questioned why he was handling them. Herpetologists said black racers are largely harmless to humans even if they bite, but handling can stress animals and tail-grabbing can injure their spines. Experts recommended minimizing handling time and avoiding tail grabs to reduce harm to wildlife.
"Kennedy shared the clip of himself grabbing the tails of the non-venomous black racer snakes on his personal social media accounts, noting in the caption that he was removing them from the patio of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. An avid outdoorsman, Kennedy has posted numerous photos and videos over the years of himself interacting with wild animals. He's also shared tales of such interactions, including admitting once planting a bear carcass in New York's Central Park as a prank."
"Internet users reacted with joy, incredulity and outcry at Kennedy's latest clip, which shows the snakes biting in the direction of his fingers as Oz asks questions about the snakes. Kennedy's wife, actress Cheryl Hines, can be heard saying "Why?" and telling her husband to let them go. Herpetologists said the species in the clip is largely harmless to humans, even if it bites."
"But they said people should be mindful of the stress that handling snakes can put on the creatures, and to avoid grabbing them by the tails as Kennedy does in the video, because it can cause injuries to their spines. "That is not how I would handle the snakes, but I'm a trained professional," said Bonnie Keller, a herpetologist and former board member of the Virginia Herpetological Society."
"Sean McKnight, director of programs at the nonprofit Rattlesnake Conservancy, said he encourages people to minimize the duration that they're handling any kind of wildlife, because they are "potentially stressing out the animals more"
Read at Boston.com
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