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I read the part of this article where Mr. Haas had to shoot an allegator because a boy fell into the pit and the alligator ate him (is'nt that what allegators do eat anything including yu?) a woman in Florida died after she fell into a pond and was attacked by two alligators, the remains of a 14-year-old boy were cut from a crocodile's stomach, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. I grew up in North Miami Beach and remember going to the Serpentarium many times, but my favorites were Sundays when the King Cobra came out. It took the 1,800pound reptile an hour to die. I couldn't take the anti-venom so Dr. Haast instructed the hospital on how to treat me. I will forever carry fond memories of "Doc" and how he turned my life around. Most people working in the biological field take some pride in having a species or subspecies named for them, but Haast seemed to have none of that. As a kid, it was a thrill to see the man himself up close. Glad to see many others share great memories of the Serpentarium. I hope you live to 100 to prove snake venon is an anti aging wonder. I came upon a reference to a varieth of the black racer that bears the name Coluber constrictor haasti. The couple raised the alarm with lifeguards but by that time the alligator had disappeared with the child. And I still do as if it happened yesterday. I was inspired by him because as kids we used to go all through the Evergaldes looking for snakes to catch. The giant concrete-and-stucco cobra was donated to South Miami Senior High but fell apart during its move to the school. I recently saw Mr. Hasst on wild kingdon with Jack Hanna (aired 1997 maybe). More animals than anyone I ever knew, and of every variety. Their daughters, Nya and Shantee probably do not even remeber me (it was in the early seventies). Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission executive director Nick Wiley said during a press conference that the incident was extremely rare and that officers were doing everything they could to prevent another attack. A crew of more than 50 people, including experienced alligator trappers and sheriffs department divers using sonar equipment, helicopters and boats searched the network of man-made canals, ponds and lakes to recover the boys body. During this time Haast met and married his second wife, Clarita Matthews. PARROT JUNGLE, MONKEY JUNGLE, SEAQUARIUM, ETC. I stood, many times, on the grass in the little circle just feet from the Cobra at milking time. For Haast, the weekly shots paid off, helping him to survive 172 venomous snake bites. Set in the American South in the 20th century. At the UM, Haast led in the testing of the serum on monkeys. Haast saw that a boy had fallen into the crocodile pit. Haast eventually returned home, where his mother had leased a concession stand at a lakeside resort. Did you know that Charlie Baxter aka MT GRAVES IS STILL ALIVE & is one hell of a nice guy. By 1984, interest in such roadside attractions like the Serpentarium had waned. I've outlived all my friends down there.' ''I would hide them in my tool box,'' he said. In 1946 Haast decided he had enough money saved to start his snake farm. I have such respect for Mr. Haast and for all of his work. Photo: Orange County Sheriff's Office. We watched the show (I don't remember if the presenter was Mr. Haast), and afterwards, Scot was encouraged to touch several snakes. We visited the Serpentarium and it was an amazing experience that I remember vividly to this day. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Haast maintained a similar bank in Miami when he ran the Serpentarium theme park, which closed in 1984. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. My girlfiends and I would catch 7 - 8 foot Indio snakes and we would beg my mother to drive us over to the Serpentarium so we could sell the snakes to Dr. Haas. Thank you Diana, and all the other folks who have posted, for posting your personal memories of Bill Haast and your insights that the general public would never know about if you hadn't written in. ''I always meant for the attraction to support the venom research, but it just kept growing and growing. Haast killed the croc the next day. I also remember hearing a story about him saving the lives of GI`s in Vietnam who had jumped from a helicopter into some poisonous snakes. Nya used to take us after hours to the Serpentariumm to watch her Dad and his workers feed the animals. I wish I could have taken my girls there! What a rush. He agreed to chat only by telephone with a Miami Herald reporter. Ms Popp, who is visiting the resort, said the search party was growing by the minute. And in July, a woman in Florida died after she fell into a pond and was attacked by two alligators. I gave Dr. Hasst an iguana that got too large for me to keep and from then on he let me come in for free.. When asked if Disney was aware of alligators on the property, Wahaler advised there were signs that said no swimming. Now the spotlight is on three other deaths that are linked to the case. While there, a gentleman drove in with a huge python he caught on his property and had in a wire basket. In 1982 when I was twelve I moved from England to Hollywood, Fl with my family. When I was in high school I worked at the Serpentarium and even helped out with the King Cobra Shows on the weekend. The injections are a routine he began in 1948 -- the year he opened the Serpentarium -- and continued after he closed it in 1984. Tragically, a 6-year-old boy fell in and died in 1977. Living In Ms. we had plenty of cotton mouths copperheads and assorted others. Worst time of my life!!! 'There is no reason to visit Miami. ABOUT 1975 OR SO, I TOOK MY FAMILY ON VACATION TO SEE ALL THE SIGHTS MIAMI HAD TO OFFER INSTEAD OF LEAVING TOWN AS WE ALWAYS DID. In the first chapter a bunch of young boys are headed to a swimming hole; one boy races ahead and dives in. In 1954 Haast was bitten by a common, or blue, krait. On Tuesday, Sheriff Demings said the child was snatched while on holiday with his mother, father and two siblings. American Model Killed By Crocodile In Australia - YouTube 0:00 / 1:46 American Model Killed By Crocodile In Australia Strange Deranged Unexplained 1.08K subscribers 743 80K views 11. A crocodile mauled and killed an 8-year-old boy near his home in Malaysia. So, on a trip to visit my parents in Miami, when Scot was two (1977), we took him to the Miami Serpentarium. C.C. "My So-Called Life", pg. Haast jumped down into the pit. He soon learned how to handle the snakes and found one timber rattler so easy to handle that he posed for a photograph with the snake lying across his lap. However, sometime in my teens I developed a real fear of snakes, somewhat unusual since there were no poisonous varieties in my area. By then Cookie, the 12-foot, 2,000-pound crocodile, had the boy in its mouth. ''It was the best snake show there ever will be,'' said George Van Horn, a frequent visitor who now runs a similar attraction in Central Florida. BILL TOLD THE CROWD NOT TO WORRY, "IT'S ONLY CALCIUM". Its very surprising, its an extremely rare occurrence in anywhere you have alligators, but we do ask people to be mindful that we do have alligators in the water in Florida and you have to be careful, Mr Wiley said. When I was a little girl, we lived in Kendall. It was buried on the grounds. In the early 1970s, I was carrying out a survey to document the status of certain native reptiles and amphibians of a seven-county area iof siytgh Florida. Sheppard gave injections to patients with MS. His clinic became famous and was featured on CBS's 60 Minutes. All this may be imaginative conjecture of a teenage boy.. .Once thing sure, though, Him and his wife sure looked scary, to we boys, in those white Drs. Haast is still trying to prove a point: He'll go to his grave believing venom can heal. In 1965, Cobras in his Garden, a book about Haast's exploits, was published. He was able to identify the type of snake that bit me by the bite marks. I recall going with my brother to the airport to pick her up upon her arrival. From The Miami Herald, August 3, 2006 FLASHBACK | THE MIAMI SERPENTARIUM 'Miami snakeman' is 95 and still injects himself with venom BY LUISA YANEZ lyanez@MiamiHerald.com IN PUNTA GORDA: Bill Hasst sold his Miami Serpentarium site in Pinecrest in 1984, and settled in southwest Florida. We lived in Southern California. The cheerleaders and marching band of South Miami High, home of the Cobras, screamed and pounded their feet. Thanks again Bill.. When he reached in to get it with his hook, he realized he had been had, then chose to play along and scare the audience who had already watched him take out a few deadly snakes from other boxes. I remember visiting the Serpentarium on a school field trip when I was in kindergarten, in 1971. I well remember Bill Haast and his snake "milking" shows. Opening day was Jan. 1, 1948. THE body of the two-year-old boy, Lane Graves, snatched by an alligator at a Disney resort has . "And in the end the research could take care of itself.". He gathered 400 cobras and took his findings to a University of Miami researcher. THIS SOFT SPOKEN WOMAN TURNED TO HER FAMILY AND SAID "I'VE COME ALL THE WAY TO MIAMI TO HAVE SOME SNAKE S__T ON ME". He's truly an amazing man who has lived a life of exemplary devotion to his work. This is greatl so good to know that Doc is still alive and doing at least some of what he loves best. AN eight-year-old boy has been mauled to death by a crocodile just metres from his family home in Malaysia. He received the key to the city.Those same hands that for decades eased venom from the world's most poisonous snakes held the key to the city of Miami on Thursday. "He was a really nice man with a big heart," said his grand-niece Michelle Haast of Miami. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. He made special trips, bringing back such perilous species as cobras and saw-scaled vipers. ''I could become a poster boy for the benefits of venom,'' Haast jokes. It is one stop from the Magic Kingdom Park and the Seven Seas Lagoon is popular with water lovers and boating enthusiasts. Today, out of print, it's coveted by collectors and sells on eBay for more than $100, a testament to Haast's popularity. My dad and I still talk about this over 40 years later! Is it the venom? Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Boy Dies After Falling Into Crocodile Pit, https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/04/archives/boy-dies-after-falling-into-crocodile-pit.html. The boy was swimming in a river with a friend on Thursday when the incident occurred. Needless to say I was quite nervous also, thinking of what might happen if that snake went through the crowd. I'd fainted at the realization of a whole baby pig inside that snake! Drivers passing the former site of. We ran it over, and with a little coaxing, I convinced the driver to return. "He'd put on a show just to supplement the research for the while," she said. Sheriff Demings said police had not received any recent reports or complaints about nuisance alligators but authorities will conduct further investigations. But I remember leaning over the small wall to look closer at that croc when my feet slipped and I pitched forward towards the pit. The experiments gave encouraging results, but were still in preliminary clinical trials when the Salk polio vaccine was released in 1955. When he was 19 he joined a man who had a roadside snake exhibit, and went with him to Florida. A witness told a journalist at the Orlando Sentinel they reported a sighting of an alligator to police prior to the attack on the toddler, but Sheriff Demings said he was unaware of the report. "Our unit wouldn't be around if it wasn't for him; he's the inspiration," said Al Cruz, the unit's founder, standing beneath the tall branches of a live oak that Haast had allowed to grow through his screened pool patio. My hands served me well.'' While on my honeymmon in Orlando we rode down to Miami to the Serpentarium and watched Bill milk some snakes. Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh has been sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife and son. He said at that time if he lived to be 100 it would possibly prove that snake venom is anti aging. 12-foot crocodile . I believe he gave them some of his blood with the anti-bodies and that saved their lives. THE BAND FROM SOUTH MIAMI HIGH RODE WITH THE COBRA TO THE SCHOOL ON A FLAT BED TRUCK WITH THE BAND HAPPILY PLAYING AND BEATING THEIR DRUMS--SUDDENLY--SEVERAL CARS AHEAD OF ME THE SNAKE --WHICH WAS PLANTED STRAIGHT UP--SUDDENLY FELL APART ON THE TRUCK --JUST SORT OF DISENTAGRATED --AND THE BOTTOM WAS RUINED--BUT A SMALL PART INCLUDING THE HEAD REMAINED-AND APPEARED UNDAMAGED---AND I PRESUME--MADE IT SAFELY TO THE SCHOOL--J. MUDD. My "fondest" memory: sitting on the side of the crock pit with my butt hanging over the edge, the wall wasn't but a couple feet tall, right? I'll never forget April Fools day there! I, and many other people, really enjoy reading the comments that are left under the photos. We had a large clump of banana trees in our back yard, & she had called Mr. Haast to tell him that there was a coral snake down in the undergrowth of it, & could he please come & remove it? FOR THE MIAMI HERALD King cobras. Anyone can read what you share. The original cobra was a metal structure that was twisted into oblivion by a rare tornado in the late 50's or early 60's. [3] Haast extracted venom from venomous snakes from the time he was a boy. It was July, 1972, and my family was making our first visit to the Serpentarium. I visited the Serpentarium two time back in 1958 and 1967, it was a very interesting place to tour. In North Carolina, a chemist offered this salute: "Resssssssst in Peace Bill Haast.". This time it came out! National television shows hosted by Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas and Johnny Carson invited him or featured him during visits to Miami. As a result of handling these snakes, Haast had been bitten 172 times by mid-2008,[4] all of which but the last few were validated by the Guinness Book of World Records "for surviving the most deadly snake bites", a distinction Haast disliked as he did not think being bitten was a goal to be attained or admired.[5]. https://t.co/suskABi6UPhttps://t.co/AfEdaZei5G. [9] In an August 2008 Florida Trend interview, he stated, "Aging is hard. They gave me nightmares. "I am not going to stay here, because just as they protect those animals, they are capable of leaving the river to attack more people and the truth is that it is scary that something like this will happen again. Haast's second wife, Clarita, simply narrated, setting the mood for the audience. Consequently, the snakes grew to tremendous lengths, by not being hunted by the indians, and were probably fed leftover game to achieve the fantastic length. He started extracting venom from his snakes when he was 15 years old, and dropped out of school when he was 16 years old. After Bill sold the Serpentarium, our 12,000 sq.ft. I wish you could have seen that crowd move as that snake reared itself and advanced toward Bill as it poured itself onto the concrete floor. It is unclear whether the attack was fatal. As time went on, I read about Bill now and then, such as when he was bitten by the Gaboon viper in the 1970s, and a few other dangerous ones. ''Failing at this is one of my biggest regrets,'' Haast said. I somehow got to this page from an old email I found and did the Google thing for " Bill "Miami Snakeman" Haast " and here I find myself with those shared memories. Soon, his quest for exotic snakes stretched around the world. That might have occurred, since some recent field guides I have examined do not include haasti. The Serpentarium was a magical place and Mr. Haast was a very interesting fellow. We took 3-4 water snakes there that closely resembled the deadly Water Moccasin, only to be turned away penniless. "He was into it for the science on how snake venom affected the body," said the grand-niece who worked at The Serpentarium as a teen in the 1980s. A crocodile seized a 5-year-old boy and dragged him into a river in western Mexico as his parents watched, according to authorities who said the child's body was found Thursday. Hi, my uncle Ted Kundtz just passed away a few months ago and he told me that he had helped out Mr. Haast when he was younger. The cobra that Elliot Arkin made was the one inside the building across from the office. Flores said it has been very difficult for the family, adding: 'It is impossible to continue living in Matina because in every corner of the house we find something that reminds us of Julito, that causes us a lot of pain. "I could become a poster boy for the benefits of venom," Haast boasted. That was in 1971 and I kept that car until 3 years ago when I sold it for 35000.00 in pieces. I was 16 yrs.old and going outside at night with no shoes on and stepped on the snake in the dark. I asked him one evening if I could walk with him he said yes in the baritone of gentle command. Now if I can find out more about The Colonel? THAT WAS THE MOST MEMORIBLE PART OF THAT VACATION. While the rest of the crew was out having fun in the exotic locales, he bought exotic snakes. A 911 call was received at 9.16pm local time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Snake man is master of poison and cure Bill Haast, 97, is lauded for pioneering work with snake venom By Kate Spinner Sarasota Herald-Tribune Published: Friday, July 11, 2008 at 4:30 a.m. CHARLOTTE COUNTY - Bill Haast's 97-year-old fingers, withered by scores of snake bites, are too weak to handle cobras and pit vipers anymore. Julio's distraught parents have urged authorities to find the crocodile and kill it. He applied the standard snake-bite treatment of the time (making crossed cuts over the fang marks and applying potassium permanganate) and then walked four miles to the camp's first aid tent, by which time his arm was swollen. I liked that his shows were practical and informative with very little hype, but fascinating nonetheless. We got a motel room across the road from the Serpentarium. Boy, 8, mauled to death by crocodile in front of horrified parents after being dragged underwater as he played. Police said witnesses described the alligator as being between 1.2 and 2.1 metres long. 2010s. I'd rather go back in the ocean than back to the Serpentarium! He always survived and promoted his anti-snake venom that saved many other lives. His grey pleated linen trowsers were pressed and as spotless as his egyptian cotton White shirt, topped with a most stunning Pith Helment. I am transferring my old pictures to new albums and came across our photos at The Serpentarium in 1973 when we were there with our family while on vacatin. Ricky Ganya was last seen collecting snails on a riverbank in Kuching, Malaysia, The incident comes after a four-year-old boy fell into the gorilla enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo last month. One time, he bought a black snake from Mr. Haast, named it "Rodney" and promptly wrapped it around my neck when my mom wasn't looking. Not to mention, people do not operate properly during tragic events. ``I feel like a man in his 60s.'' ``Funny, the very place I wanted to get away from, I now miss. We entered the Serpentarium and a fellow (Haas) walked out of the back office to greet the tourists and said" he's dead" referring to John F. Kennedy, President of the USA. It remains in my library to this day. CANCUN -- A 12-year-old boy who was bitten by a crocodile at a Mexican resort spoke to "Good Morning America" on Wednesday in his first television interview. As people gathered close Bill unlatched the door on the end of the cage. Great job on the article! The boy was dragged into the water by an alligator at 9pm Tuesday, local time, while wading in about a foot of water during a movie night at Disneys Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. He died of natural. And a bit crazy. Haast extracted venom 70 to 100 times a day from some 60 species of venomous snakes, usually in front of an audience of paying customers. Haast finally sold the 5.2-acre lot, now in Pinecrest, for $3.2 million and headed to Utah for more snake research. Mr. Hasst brought out a huge 16 foot long King Cobra and kept it controlled on the lawn in front of us. On November 3, a man was dragged underwater by a crocodile while swimming in the Kali River, in India's Uttara Kannada district, Newsroom Odisha reported. 1, my mother carrying a large snake onboard an airplane, and no. I remember in 3rd grade, back in 1960, one of my classmates dropped her purse into the crocodile pit. Lots of people like me. When we got home, she handed me a small travel bag that she had carried with her on board the airplane. It was not that far from us and yet we were not fearful. We looked out and could see both Bill and Nancy peeking out from their office with a big grin! TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. I never forgot Mr. Haast and his snakes, and, to this day, I am not scared of snakes or any other animals. A wealthy lawyer who killed his wife and son at close range has been sentenced in one of the most troubling cases the judge said he had seen. I remember him as a very genuine, nice man. great childhood memories spent there with my family , i remember getting goose bumps when we would see the cobra statue. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. I'll never forget this experience. I contacted him while the car was in shop and $2200.00 later it was mine. As I was sitting there I heard a big CHOMP and turned around to see one huge animal falling back into the pitmissed me by about a foothorseshoes and hand-grenadeseh? ( Because they wouldn't let me move here by myself.) When the show headed to Florida, Haast convinced his parents to let him go. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Supposedly, this Timacuan sub-species and the nearby Mexican Bush Master are the largest poisonous snakes in the world and Bill Hass had both of them in his World famous Serpentarium. Florida is considered one of the most vulnerable states in America when it comes to rising sea levels, causing the ocean to start seeping into the Everglades swampland, where alligators live. I used to take the snakes I would find to a lady named Alma Bishop, who had a little shop in the Flamingo Bar. I will think of my uncle as I visit. A rare survivor, he declared himself doing "very well, anxious to get back to work.". "It was his adopted city. Source = Youtube. Unfortunately, in 1977 a six-year-old boy fell into the crocodile pit at Miami Serpentarium and was killed by "Cookie", a 12-ft-long crocodile. But I always felt I would live this long. Green mambas. Then years later I lived in Punta Gorda on Washington Loop, when Bill Haast moved there. Thanks for putting it up! Behind him rose an 8-foot concrete cobra statue that once decorated the serpentarium. The boy and another friend decided to go . Is bitten by dozens of water moccasins and dies. By 1965 the Serpentarium housed more than 500 snakes in 400 cages and three pits in the courtyard. He inspired a life long love of reptiles for me and now my two children.. "We can't be here, because we spend every time remembering how nice it was to have him here with us. The snake had disappeared, but I estimate that the snake, which had at least a one foot girth, was 14 feet or more. Sometimes a snake would upstage Haast, biting him in front of spectators. His body will now be turned over to Orange County officers for an autopsy. Bill Haast and a cobra at the Miami Serpentarium SW 128th Street and South Dixie Highway, Dade County, Florida Thank you to Alvin Lederer for contributing this old image. MIAMI, Sept. 4 (UPI)A 12foot African crocodile that killed a 6yearold boy was killed today by the owner of the Miami Serpentarium, who pumped nine shots into it with a Luger pistol. bill was to capture this cobra and milk it for the crowd. I was Bill's neighbor on the Serpentariums north side from about 1970 until the Village of Pinecrest purchased my land & building in 2000 ( The Carpet Mart ). Haast was also bitten by a green mamba. David Mark Wasson was apparently sitting on top of the wall around the pit, dangling his feet during an inter mission between shows when he lost his balance, the authorities said. As he announced at the time, Bill killed the croc because he did not want her to become the inevitable freak show instead of a crocodile.Neither revenge nor stress induced fuzzy thinking was involved. But at the Serpentarium, there was a monster 14 foot rattlesnake from upper Florida, probably from around the Gainesville area. Thanks for the wonderful memories and great work you have done. I worked at the Serpentarium for roughly a year, about two years before it closed. When she got in the car she said she had a suprise for me. The whole experience seemed to do the trick, as he never displayed such fear of snakes again after that. Back in the 1980's, I lived in the Pepperwood S/D (about one block south of Kendell Drive, just west of Palmetto Expy). As a young teenager in the mid 1960's I was very interested in all types of reptiles. When our son was very small, he was afraid of snakes. We also used to go to his show at the Serpentarium, and it fascinated my brother. At 19, he got a job with a roadside snake attraction. The Depression killed the snake attraction, so Haast went to work for a bootlegger based in the Florida Everglades, until revenue agents busted their still. As soon as it was handed back to an embarassed little girl, one of the boys said, "Now you have to look and see if it punched your bus ticket!" But he felt he couldn't continue to feed the crocodile and display him under these conditions.. I grew up in Hialeah,snake hunting was one of the cool things we did back in the day.We'd ride our stingrays out to milam elementary w 16 ave and catch decays ,ring necks ,yellow rats ,red rats,garter snakes,blue racers.We'd ride are bikes accross the palmetto expressway and go into the woods behind the church caught an indigo there once ,it was laying accross a tree stump that was lucky back 1971.I was 12.It was 6ft long I feed it eggs ,raw chicken breast,a big toad once .It had bright red under the chin.Mr haast told me how to get the lice off it at his snake show.I called the serpentarium every so often to ask various questions on snakes.The guy on the phone was cool and calm he'd answer your questions politely it had to be Bill to us kids he was like superman.Saw his show 5 times.Man !that indigo Mrs haast had was really pretty ,my mom was talking about that snake at big family get together in wis. last new years.We sure are lucky we grew up their!