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Jiang Wei
Guest
Wednesday October 20, 2010
A woman does well in Hisss world
By ROSHIDI ABU SAMAH
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IPOH: Noo Azahariah Adnan looks like any young woman, with her stylish dressing and make-up. But she has strange bedfellows – snakes. Unlike others who might only want to see snakes from outside a cage, the 31-year-old woman decided to get closer to them and became a snake handler. Noo Azahariah said she became fascinated with snakes after her parents brought her to a snake show when she was 15.
Slithery sidekicks: Noo Azahariah cleaning the glass room where she will stay with more than 100 snakes during the exhibition. Inset: The pretty snake handler kisses a cobra during the show. – SAIFUL BAHRI/The Star
“I immediately fell in love with the reptiles while watching the snake charmer at work. “I think snakes are such beautiful, graceful and sensitive creatures,” she said here yesterday. Four years later, Noo Azahariah joined renowned snake expert Hussinee Dastagia’s team to learn the techniques and tricks in handling snakes.
“Although it looks simple, it is actually quite dangerous to play with poisonous snakes. “Once, I was bitten by a King Cobra and had to seek medical treatment,” she said. Noo Azahariah is performing at the Beauty And The Hisss! Exhibition at the Darul Ridzuan Museum here until Nov 18. During the exhibition, Noo Azahariah will live in a glass room with more than 100 snakes including venomous species.
“The stunt is part of my preparations to get my name into the Guinness Book of Records. “I’m attempting to live with the snakes for more than 30 days,” said Noo Azahariah, who is the exhibition’s main attraction. Perak State Museums Board director Nor Janati Ibrahim said the exhibition would allow visitors to have a better understanding of snakes.
