Snakes on SoAct!

Join us this week with Matt Ellerbeck (aka Snake Man). Matt is a snake advocate and conservationist based in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Listen in to how and why snakes are very important to our ecosystem and why dubunking the myths of snakes is very important to the future of our planet. Matt's Bio: Matt's mission is to help contribute to the recovery of imperiled snake populations by providing educational presentations, raising awareness of the issues snakes face, standing up for their rights, running conservation projects, and promoting snake advocacy, preservation, and stewardship. It is Matt's hope that his work will help alleviate people's fears and hatred of snakes, and that this in turn, will help decrease the number of snakes directly persecuted by people. Matt has always loved snakes. Since early childhood he has spent every summer in marshes, ponds, swamps, and forests hoping to share some of his time with these interesting creatures. His love for these reptiles continues to grow and today he is a committed snake conservationist. He now devotes his time to snakes as a herpetoculturist, educator, advocate, activist, author, observer, rehabilitator, and local public figure. Due to his growing concern over the declining snake population, Matt decided to start a snake conservation project in late 2004. He has since given numerous presentations on snakes in and around the Kingston area to help educate people about these reptiles and the need for their conservation. Highlights include presentations for the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority, St. Lawrence Islands National Park, The GreenUP Environmental Festivals, King's Town Private School and Queen's University for Environmental Education students. Matt has also often appeared in the local media to help get his message about the importance of snake conservation out to the public. He has been featured on local TV, radio, and in several newspapers, and magazines.