Perry County library brings back Kentucky Reptile Zoo program

The Perry County Public Library is bringing one of its most unusual summer offerings back to Hazard: Kentucky Reptile Zoo will appear Saturday, June 27, with live demonstrations at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the library’s Hazard branch, 289 Black Gold Blvd. The program is listed as open to all ages, giving children and adults a chance to see reptiles up close without leaving Perry County.

The event centers on the Slade-based nonprofit Kentucky Reptile Zoo, which focuses on venomous reptiles and venom extraction. Its public demonstrations are designed to let visitors watch the process at close range while trained handlers use safety measures to manage the animals. The zoo says most of its snakes are captive-born, part of an effort to reduce the collection of wild reptiles.

That scientific side is a major reason the program fits so well in a library setting. Kentucky Reptile Zoo says its venoms are used for medical research and antivenom production, and its public materials describe the organization as a place where scientists use live reptiles as a resource for venom studies and behavioral research. The zoo also says it educates the public through lectures and demonstrations while promoting tourism in Eastern Kentucky.

For families, the draw is as much about the experience as the science. Kentucky tourism materials say the zoo houses more than 100 reptile species, including mambas, cobras, rattlesnakes, anacondas, lizards, turtles and alligators, and call it home to one of the largest collections of venomous snakes in the United States and possibly the world. Founded in 1990 by Jim Harrison, the zoo has built a reputation for turning a specialized subject into a public lesson.

The library’s role matters too. Its calendar lists the Hazard branch at 289 Black Gold Blvd. and says its facilities and meeting rooms are ADA compliant, making the site accessible for community events like this one. In a county where low-cost summer outings can be hard to find, the return of Kentucky Reptile Zoo gives Perry County another hands-on program that mixes entertainment with learning.

For Hazard and the surrounding community, the appeal is straightforward: a local library event that brings in a regional attraction, adds a science lesson to the summer calendar and keeps the focus on families gathering together in a familiar public space.