Snake expert killed by viper while teaching people not to fear snakes

Dieter Zorn, a 53-year-old snake expert, had one of the reptile shows he was hosting to ease people’s fear of snakes backfire when he was killed mid-performance by an aspic viper. Zorn said on his website that "touching and holding, stroking, and carrying these harmless snakes is, for most people, unique and unforgettable." Well, we very much doubt any member of his French snake-fearing audience will ever forget the moment he was attacked. Zorn’s partner, Uschi Kallus, said Zorn's death was caused by an "extremely rare allergic reaction" to the viper’s venom and Zorn "would not have wanted the viper to be blamed for his death." Zorn was able to get the snake back into a container, protecting the audience, despite his fatal wounds.