Kilkenny schoolkids help raise €1,000 for National Reptile Zoo after blaze

BIG hearted members of the public have so far donated more than €1,000 to the National Reptile Zoo after the recent fire which killed one of its snakes and wiped out the country’s only anti-venom stocks.

The founder and director of the hugely popular Gowran attraction, James Hennessey, set up a GoFundMe page after the blaze gutted the venomous section of the zoo (pictured below).

Up to €5,000 worth of anti-venom medicines also went up in smoke.

James today thanked members of the public whose generous contributions have allowed the zoo to begin replacing its vital anti-venom supplies.

Money was also raised from a bake sale organised by two schoolchildren from Callan.

James told KilkennyNow.ie: “We’ve already order up the first batch of replacement anti-venom which we should have delivered in the coming weeks. In the meantime, our friends in the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine have stock on standby should there be a bite incident in Ireland.”

James said the surviving snakes are recovering well, and all but one are showing almost no after effects from the blaze.

He added: “They’re all doing well. Our albino monocled cobra suffered some damaged scales from the flames, but he has resumed feeding and hopefully he should recover quickly.”

The zoo was forced to launch the fundraising drive because, as a conservation-based organisation, any money it has to put towards replenishing the anti-venom stocks will directly impact on the conservation work that they do.

If you would like to make a donation, log on to: https://www.gofundme.com/help-the-national-reptile-zoo-after-apr-6th-fire