Handle with care: Reptile enthusiast teaches YouTube fans about Tunisia's varied species

Record ID: 1633595

  • Title: Handle with care: Reptile enthusiast teaches YouTube fans about Tunisia's varied species
  • Date: 24th August 2021
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDALLAH'S FRIEND WHO FILMS YOUTUBE VIDEOS, YASSINE GUESMI, SAYING: "There are many people who call us after he (Abdallah) became famous in our community through YouTube as a reptile hunter. People who have reptiles at home call him (Abdallah) to come and catch them. There is more awareness among people." ABDALLAH AND GUESMI SITTING IN FRONT OF THE LAPTOP ABDALLAH WATCHING VIDEO PLAYING ON SCREEN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) REPTILE HUNTER, MOHAMMED AZIZ ABDALLAH, SAYING: "When I started in this field, I faced a lot of bullying from many people through comments on the internet, people asking why I took up this strange hobby or why I hunt and raise reptiles." ABDALLAH LOOKING AT THE SNAKE SPIDER INSIDE BUCKET ABDALLAH PUTTING SNAKE IN BUCKET FILLED WITH WATER ZAGHOUAN, TUNISIA (AUGUST 20, 2021) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) ABDALLAH HOLDING TORCH AND CATCHING SNAKE SNAKE IN WATER ABDALLAH HOLDING TORCH AND LOOKING FOR SNAKES ABDALLAH'S FEET WHILE WALKING
  • Embargoed: 7th September 2021 14:31
  • Keywords: Enthusiast Reptiles Tunisia
  • Location: ZAGHOUAN, TUNISIA
  • City: ZAGHOUAN, TUNISIA
  • Country: Tunisia
  • Topics: Africa,Human-Led Feature,Human-Led Stories
  • Reuters ID: LVA009ERN3SYD
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:From large lizards to deadly snakes, 22-year-old Mohammed Aziz Abdallah catches different kinds of reptiles from the wilderness of his hometown, Zaghouan, in Tunisia to film them for his YouTube channel which he uses as a platform to raise awareness about the country's wildlife and the importance of preserving it.
    Having produced tens of videos, the reptile enthusiast teaches his followers about the country's exotic animals and how to deal with them.
    "The most important goal I have is a humane one," Abdallah said.
    When he first started his project eight years ago, Abdallah faced a lot of criticism for catching and raising wild animals. But as his followers increased, he started seeing more positive comments.
    "There are many people who call us after he (Abdallah) became famous in our community through YouTube as a reptile hunter. People who have reptiles at home call him (Abdallah) to come and catch them. There is more awareness among people," his friend, Yassine Guesmi, who helps him film his videos said.
    Abdallah, who studies image technology, releases the reptiles back into the wild once when he finishes his research and videos about them.
    (Production: Jihed Abidellaoui)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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