Meet Vicky

From an early age I have always been captivated by animals and the natural world, with some of my fondest memories being that of simply exploring the garden, collecting creepy crawlies to get a closer look. As a child I also loved dinosaurs and naturally that led to the passion for reptiles that I have now. I started keeping snakes at the age of 16 and quickly found them to be my area of interest within herpetology. My degree in Zoology with herpetology, gained at Bangor University, only propelled this passion further and I found venom and its evolution fascinating, carrying out my dissertation on “Venom evolution and hybridisation in rattlesnakes”.

I love to travel and have been on many herpetological trips in search of reptile species around the world, including Turkey, Corfu, Arizona and India. During this time, I have gained experience in venomous snake handling, as well as sampling of venom and tissue. Although My passion is with reptiles, I have worked with various animal species in zoos, such as lemurs, emus and servals, and have even worked in a fish farm. In my spare time I love to go out walking/hiking and enjoy bird watching at the same time. My love of birds is something that has developed since university due to the amazing habitats perfect for birdwatching in North Wales and they are after all, feathered reptiles!