Members Profile

Name:   Karl Betz       Age:

City:  St. Mary's  State:  GA

Regular job:  Chief Petty Officer, Assistant Navigator onboard U.S. Navy submarine

Email:   Buzztail1@hotmail.com

Website:

Brief Life History: I brought home my first snake at the ripe old age of four which pleased my parents to no end.  My mom tells of how I taught myself to read so that I could read wildlife (especially snake) books.  I started giving snake presentations in school classrooms in 1976 (also the year I got my first venomous snake) and I graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1981.  After graduation, I joined the U.S. Navy Submarine Force and have traveled all over the world visiting zoos and hunting snakes.  I have been a member of the Jacksonville Herp Society for several years as well as the San Diego Herp Society, the Arizona Herp Association, the Florida Venomous Keepers Society, the Jacksonville Zoo, the San Diego Zoo and am currently the Vice President of the Southeastern Hot Herp Society.  Although my home is Saint Marys, GA, I am currently stationed in San Diego, CA.
 

Primary herp interests:  I am primarily interested in venomous reptiles and various Kingsnakes / Milksnakes and lately Rosy Boas and Pituophis (Bull, Pine and Gopher Snakes).  I also share an interest with my wife of turtles and tortoises.

Why did you join the JHS and what do you want to get out of your membership?  I joined the JHS to associate with other people with interests in herps and to continue to help educate the public regarding reptiles and amphibians as well as to augment my knowledge of various other reptiles through association with the people that keep them.

What has been your favorite JHS experience?  I have to list two favorites with this group.  The first was a Rodman Reservoir trip (2003) where I got down into the water and helped dredge for seldom seen reptiles and amphibians – something I would never have done on my own.  The second was a field trip to Osceola National Forest (2003) to go herping with the society.  We had a blast and I am looking forward to being able to go again.

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