If you know Ali Iyoob, a recent student of the biology department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, when you hear his name the first thing you think of is a passion for reptiles. Ali's life is devoted to the study, photography, and protection of all wildlife, but if you know him, you know that snakes have a special place in his heart. He loves education and outreach and enjoys nothing more than sharing his love and passion of animals with others.





Ali is an active member of Reptile Rescue of the Carolinas and spends much of his free time safely removing unwanted or potentially dangerous reptiles from public and private locations.





Ali advocates for safe interactions with wildlife as seen through his participation last May in "My Carolina Talk" where he encouraged any homeowner who happened upon a snake to educate themself about local wildlife and seek help from professionals rather than hurting those animals.



Even with trained professionals, accidents do sometimes happen and unfortunately, Ali suffered a bite from one of the snakes that he is so passionate about, a king cobra. Luckily, through a combination of his own knowledge of what to do in this circumstance, the cooperation of the zoological community, and the dedication of the UNC Hospitals medical staff, he was able to recieve the desperately needed antivenom and his condition is improving.



Treatment with antivenom can be very expensive due to its complicated production and costly delivery. Being just out of college and financially independent, this is sure to be a challenge for Ali and his family.



Any donations will go directly toward Ali's treatment and are greatly appreciated.



