Who is Donald Schultz???
Born in South Africa, Donald Schultz is a world-renowned venom expert, writer, photographer and adventurer and has been in the public eye for most of his life. Donald started to work with reptiles at the age of 13 and was fortunate to have an internship at the world-famous Fitzsimons Snake Park, where he received a sound schooling in herpetology. By Donald giving demonstrations and spending endless hours studying snake behavior, catching venomous snakes became second nature, and his fascination with these creatures became the bedrock of his career.
Always keeping busy with animals, Schultz created and ran a company specializing in African reptiles and eco-tours. He also co-authored a number of ongoing scientific papers in addition to being a speaker at the International Herpetological Symposium. World authorities in venomous snakes look to him for help with difficult and dangerous animals. Schultz was first published in Reptile Magazine in 2006 and has been published in five international magazines since, including a recurring column in the Australian magazine Scales and Tails.
His love affair with dangerous activities extends beyond just his work, and he tries to incorporate the two whenever possible. He is an avid skydiver and a highly specialized scuba diver, having been certified as the youngest CLASS II commercial diver in Africa.
Schultz now calls Los Angeles his home… when he actually is home.
Interview for animal planet
Donald Schultz, host of Animal Planet's upcoming WILD RECON, traveled around the globe during production of the action-packed series. After filming the 10-part series in nine locales, including Australia, Swaziland, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, Belize and the Bahamas, Schultz takes a time-out to share some of his thoughts on wildlife and on his life!
ANIMAL PLANET: What age did your fascination with animals develop?
Donald Schultz: I cannot remember a time that I was not fascinated by animals, especially snakes. I caught my first snake with my dad when I was six years old and have been captivated by them since. I am glad that I didn't just focus on snakes but rather on all of nature as snakes are just a small piece of a much larger, much more beautiful puzzle.
ANIMAL PLANET: Do you have or have you ever had phobias of your own?
Donald Schultz: A few! One was (and still is) spiders because I had a scary encounter as a kid, and the other was falling between a ship and the dock in a harbor. Both were overcome, the spider thing more recently, and the harbor one in 1997, when I was commercial diving between tankers and the harbor at night.
ANIMAL PLANET: How did you get involved in this line of work?
Donald Schultz: It's a weird, convoluted route that seemed like it would never end in the way that it did. And if I had to try and replicate the whole process, I would likely end up diving for diamonds in the Congo, or becoming a game ranger in Kenya. The short story (and this is seriously condensed) is that I worked in the world-famous Fitzsimons Snake Park in Durban, South Africa as a teenager, becoming the youngest person to ever give venomous snake demonstrations at the age of 13. I also assisted with problem-animal removals, like mambas, cobras, puff adders, crocodile and giant monitors. I found myself at a crossroads after school, and after a weekend of diving in Cape Town, decided I wanted to become a commercial diver and trained with the police force and military.
After living in Johannesburg for a few years, I followed my older sister out to San Diego, and that's when my world swung back towards animals. I had been keeping snakes all this time, but when I found myself in California, a career in veterinary medicine slapped me in the face. I worked in a variety of hospitals, including the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Diego. I had since enrolled in college, determined to become a veterinarian. As I worked more and experienced more, I realized my calling was in the field. I've been doing these missions for about five years now, collaborating with researchers around the world on many projects.
ANIMAL PLANET: Were you always a risk taker?
Donald Schultz: I don't see it as risk taking. Mortality rates from car crashes and heart disease are way higher than snakebites and sky-diving accidents. I figure everything that we do is a stall tactic anyway; we all die at some point, and I just want to die living. But I do like to take calculated risks more than the average guy, that's for sure.
ANIMAL PLANET: What was your most dangerous encounter?
Donald Schultz: Well, there is the real world (living in Johannesburg or Los Angeles or wherever), and then there is the world that is surreal (when I travel and explore). I would have to say that the most concerned moment was an animal encounter when I had a dry bite by a Gaboon viper in the middle of equatorial Africa. We were hours away from anything, and I certainly would have died, but for some reason, no venom was injected by the snake.
ANIMAL PLANET: When were you most afraid on the job?
Donald Schultz: Anytime I skydive, I get very aware of everything mainly because there are so many variables to manage skydiving; then add to that filming, and things really become fun. We jumped in Sri Lanka in howling winds, and I had to land next to a pool of 150 wild saltwater crocodiles, thought to be the most aggressive croc species in the world. Add to that, on the sighting run, we saw a 16-footer basking near my drop zone. That definitely got the juices going!
ANIMAL PLANET: Have you ever been injured on a mission?
Donald Schultz: Yeah, unfortunately, I have. In my opinion, getting bitten by any animal is the ultimate failure as an animal handler and nothing to be proud of. I only talk about these experiences because I feel like I have learned from them. I had my hand mauled by an anteater in Central America, and til this day, I cannot feel the front part of my right thumb.
ANIMAL PLANET: What was your most memorable experience doing the show?
Donald Schultz: Every single skydive always feels insane! I love working with big predators too because it is outside my usual skill set. Every encounter — with a lion, cheetah, shark or occasional customs official — is stuck in my brain.
ANIMAL PLANET: What is your favorite species and why?
Donald Schultz: Overall, it is sea snakes, and I love them all and try and work with them as much as possible. If I had to choose a mammal, it would definitely be the slender loris (a small, nocturnal primate). I fell in love with the little guy!
ANIMAL PLANET: Is there one animal you refuse to approach?
Donald Schultz: Nope. Every one is truly awesome.
ANIMAL PLANET: What animal will people be surprised isn't as scary as they think?
Donald Schultz: Sharks, definitely — such beautiful creatures!
ANIMAL PLANET: Do you own any exotic creatures of your own?
Donald Schultz: A whole menagerie, from snakes to lizards, monitors to spiders and some weird fish and turtles! I've literally have more than 200 in my West Hollywood home.
ANIMAL PLANET: What was the coolest place you have ever traveled?
Donald Schultz: Recently, it would have been Sri Lanka. But I love Africa, especially the east coast. Also, I love the United States, and I have lived here for almost seven years and have traveled extensively throughout and really enjoy spending time in the desert areas. I haven't been to South America yet and know that would be absolutely thrilling.
ANIMAL PLANET: What does your family think of your job?
Donald Schultz: They think I am crazy. Go figure!
Selected Publications and Presentations:
Bruce Young and Donald Schultz:Vertical posturing, defensive strikes, and leaping in African elapid snakes, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, Volume 153, Issue 2, Supplement 1, June 2009, Page S126Schultz, Donald and Devon Massyn. 2008. Aspidelaps lubricus lubricus Coral snake, Shamming death and other displays. African Herp News. (46): 19-20.
Schultz, Donald and Devon Massyn. 2008. Naja mossambica, Mozambique spitting cobra, Cannibalism. African Herp News. (46): 20-21.
Schultz, Donald. 2008. Atractaspis fallax Peters, 1867 Small-scaled Burrowing Asp - Hooding and corkscrew behaviour. African Herp News. (45): 12-13.
Schultz, Donald. 2008. Scales and Tails Abroad, Cairns, Australia. Scale and Tails, Australia. (Volume 1: Number 2): 16-24.
Schultz, Donald. 2009. Scales and Tails Abroad, Arizona, USA. Scale and Tails, Australia. (Volume 1: Number 3): 16-24.
Schultz, Donald and Devon Massyn. 2009. Scales and Tails Abroad, Swaziland. Scale and Tails, Australia. (Volume 1: Number 4): 16-24.
Schultz, Donald and Devon Massyn, 2008. Finding Bushmasters in Costa Rica. Ultimate Exotics, South Africa. (Volume 2:Issue 6): 14-17.
Schloegel, Lisa, Angela Picco, A. Marm Kilpatrick, Donald Schultz. (2008) - The Global Amphibian Trade and Disease Spread. World Congress of Herpetology
Schultz, Donald. 2008. Slick Success, Catching Pelamis in Costa Rica. Reptiles Magazine. (Volume 16: Number 8): 24-26.
Schultz, Donald and Devon Massyn, International Herpetological Symposium, June 18-21.2008, Affiliation: Herpetological Research Consortium (Herp ReCon). Presentation Title: Swaziland, Kingdom of Herps.
Schultz, Donald. 2008. Tread Carefully, A veteran globetrotter highlights what to be wary of while herping in wild,South Africa. Reptiles Magazine. (Volume16: Number 4): 34-39.
Schultz, Donald. 2007. South African Snake Hunt. Reptiles Magazine. (Volume 15: Number 13): 24-26.
Schultz, Donald. International Herpetological Symposium, JUNE 20 - 23, 2007 - Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Presentation Title: Herping South Africa
Schultz, Donald. 2006. Costa Rica Herping Adventures. Reptiles Magazine. (Volume 14: Number 7): 24-26.
Television Credits
2000s
"I'm Alive" (creative consultant) (10 episodes, 2009)
- Lost (2009) TV episode (creative consultant)
- A New Day (2009) TV episode (creative consultant)
- Last Man Standing (2009) TV episode (creative consultant)
- Brotherhood (2009) TV episode (creative consultant)
- Out of the Blue (2009) TV episode (creative consultant)
(5 more)
"I Was Bitten" (animal wrangler) (4 episodes, 2008-2009) (expert) (2 episodes, 2008-2009)
- Episode #1.6 (2009) TV episode (animal wrangler)
- Episode #1.5 (2009) TV episode (expert)
- Episode #1.4 (2009) TV episode (animal wrangler)
- Episode #1.3 (2009) TV episode (animal wrangler)
- Episode #1.2 (2008) TV episode (animal wrangler)
(1 more)
Crocodile Feeding Frenzy (2008) (TV) (expert)
Producer:
"I'm Alive" (producer) (1 episode, 2009)
- Lost (2009) TV episode (producer)
"I Was Bitten" (consulting producer) (5 episodes, 2008-2009)
- Episode #1.6 (2009) TV episode (consulting producer)
- Episode #1.5 (2009) TV episode (consulting producer) (uncredited)
- Episode #1.3 (2009) TV episode (consulting producer)
- Episode #1.2 (2008) TV episode (consulting producer)
- Episode #1.1 (2008) TV episode (consulting producer)
Camera and Electrical Department:Great White Appetite (2009) (TV) (underwater camera operator)
Deadly Waters (2009) (TV) (underwater camera operator)
Self:
Venom in Vegas (2010) (TV) (post-production) .... Himself"Wild Recon" .... Himself (10 episodes, 2010)
- Border War (2010) TV episode .... Himself
- Bounty Hunter (2010) TV episode .... Himself
- Rampage (2010) TV episode .... HimselfCrocodile Feeding Frenzy (2008) (TV) .... Guest Host
"I Was Bitten" .... Himself - herpetologist (1 episode, 2008)
- Episode #1.1 (2008) TV episode .... Himself - herpetologist