This, by the way, is the opposite of the situation I posted about yesterday, which was a case of misidentification by accident. I don't like the idea of anyone suffering through a serious envenomation (although this seems to be a case of someone who is not an especially nice person), even if they did basically bring it on themselves. But it does highlight a really nasty streak of arrogance toward parts of nature that really deserve extra respect because of the dangers they pose. I am already not enamored of the practice of breeding and selling herps with all the carelessness of a carnival goldfish stand, but the "hey, look what I got!!!" braggadocio shown by some venomous reptile keepers is the end result of an attitude that these animals are just living, breathing collectibles to be traded and shown off.
When we approach the rest of nature with respect instead of commodification, it completely changes the bedrock upon which our interactions with other beings and our shared environment occurs. The good news is that we can change our approach for the better any time--and hopefully before we find ourselves in such dire straits as this guy.
