Giant Snake "Nearly Kills" Talk Show Host

Dan Vega, host of ABC's "Tuesdays with Dan," faces his fears when dealing with an array of animals from the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo.

Pensacola, FL (prHWY.com) February 7, 2013 - Pensacola, FL, February 07, 2013 -- "That sucker nearly killed me," Dan Vega said of a 10-foot anaconda that had been snuggly wrapped around his neck and wrist during the taping of this week's episode of "Tuesdays with Dan" (which airs in the Gulf Coast region on ABC's WEAR at 1:00am, after "Jimmy Kimmel" and "The Insider," and on affiliate station MY35 at 8:00am). Handlers were there, of course, and Vega was never in mortal danger with the beast--in fact, small children were allowed to pet the snake after the show--but the host endured some humorously nervous moments, from his intimate encounter with the anaconda to unknowingly sharing his beverage with a thirsty lemur. The animals were accompanied by Patti Hall, director of the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, who talked to Vega about the ways her zoo is on the cutting edge of animal safety and the use of green technology.

The zoo will soon be the first in the world to go 100% green, using self-sustaining, environmentally friendly methods both new and old; the facility also gained a measure of fame in 2004 as the first zoo in North America to successfully evacuate all of its animals (in advance of Hurricane Ivan). These achievements have made "the little zoo that could" a model of efficiency for other facilities around the globe to study and emulate. Hall and the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo have been featured on Animal Planet, The Weather Channel, ABC News, and CNN, and in publications such as "National Geographic" and "People magazine."

Vega had high praise for Hall and for the zoo that he frequents with his family, but says he'd prefer to avoid another guest in the future, "I've always been terribly afraid of snakes. When it started to coil around my arm, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. As the night went on, I became more comfortable, but I'm not sure I'd ever have one as a pet. My dogs, Max and Lola, would never go for it."

For more information about the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, visit ww.alabamagulfcoastzoo.org. For more information about "Tuesdays with Dan," visit www.tuesdayswithdan.com/.

Contact:
MW Jordan
Tuesdays with Dan
3 West Garden St
Pensacola, FL 32502
918-406-4776
info@tuesdayswithdan.com
http://www.tuesdayswithdan.com

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Tag Words: anaconda, giant snake, zoo, green technology, animal safety, rec, survey, online networking, new website, cheryl wing, soho office

Categories: Engineering

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Tuesdays with Dan
3 West Garden St
Pensacola, FL 32502

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