Perrys Bridge Reptile Park
Tours in Hazyview

Absolutely unmissable activity if you are visiting the Lowveld.
Daily demonstrations, Kruger National Park and Nelspruit, in easy reach from the Panorama Route, and download our app for a guided tour.
Centrally based in Hazyview, have your photo taken with a snake, we have on display one of the largest public reptile collections in the country.

Our Firebelly Toad enclosure, below, shows how these clever creations allow great flexibility in the creation of environments by using magnets to hold ledges and planters in place on the glass. Open since 2008, and widely recognised as one of the largest reptile collections on display in the country, Perry's Bridge Reptile Park is not to be missed during your visit to South Africa's Lowveld region! We are just 70kms out of Nelspruit, and with so many activities in the area, a great option for a day trip from this provincial capital. Combine your trip to Perry's Bridge Reptile Park with a visit to one of the Elephant Sanctuaries in Hazyview, the thrill of Skyway Trails, the adventure of Induna (rafting, mountain biking, quad bikes, horse riding), or take a scenic drive from Nelspruit via Sudwala Caves and you have a magnificent day in store for you! With over 80 species on display you will be enthralled with the beauty and unique adaptations of these fascinating creatures! First and foremost it is important to understand that the most venomous snakes are not necessarily the most dangerous snakes, nor the deadliest. Secondly, it is also important to understand the method used to gauge any inviduals' venom toxicity. Intravenous: Venom is injected directly into a vein. Intraperitoneal: Venom is injected into the abdominal cavity. It is interesting to note that, depending on the method used, LD50 results vary greatly for a single species. There are no records (obviously) regarding intraperitoneal envenomations. They do not however take into consideration the venom yield. Chimp Eden is one of Nelspruit's wildlife attractions, just out of town on the Barberton Road. Make sure you visit their website first, as their tours operate at scheduled times and you don't want to be disappointed by arriving too late. Snake venom can be best described as highly modified saliva that is produced by the parotid salivary gland. In snakes these glands are situated on either side of the head below and slightly behind the eyes. It is important to note that snakes are venomous, and not poisonous as they are so often described. Venom needs to be injected either by a sting (insects), or in the case of snakes, a bite. This means that venomous animals have specific highly evolved delivery apparatus with which to inject venom. In addition to specialised delivery methods, venomous animals also need to have specialised organs specifically designed for that purpose. Poison is generally distributed over a greater area, and generally secreted. For example: It is possible to touch, even eat, a venomous snake and suffer no ill effects. Well although both venomous and poisonous organisms may contain identical toxins, it is the delivery method of those toxins, and the way it is transported, or abosrobed in the body that differentiates between the two. It is a cocktail, consisting of hundreds of different proteins and enzymes. Its proteinaceous nature was first established back in 1843 by Charles Lucien Bonaparte, the nephew of emperor Napoleon. A vast majority of these proteins and enzymes are completely harmless to man. However, a tiny percentage of those enzymes present are considered toxins. The majority of venomous snakes only employ 6-12 of these toxins. An enzyme can be described as a biological catalyst.