Kentucky Reptile Zoo

About Kentucky Reptile Zoo

The Kentucky Reptile Zoo is a reptile park and venom production facility in Slade, Kentucky, in the Red River Gorge area of Powell County. Its address is 200 L&E Railroad Place, Slade, KY 40376. The zoo's website calls it one of Kentucky's hidden gems and describes its collection as one of the largest collections of venomous snakes in the world.

Wikipedia describes the zoo as a nonprofit facility owned by Jim Harrison and notes that it has been featured on PBS, Animal Planet, and National Geographic Channel.

LEX 18 describes the zoo as the largest producer of snake venom in the country and reports that its staff includes biologists. Co-director Kristen Wiley told the station, "This is not just like a tourist trap on the side of the road, this is a venom production facility." Jim Harrison, the other co-director, performs the venom extractions.

History

LEX 18 reports that the zoo was established in 1990 by Jim Harrison. The station reports that the zoo supplies snake venoms for medical research. Roadside America, a travel guide, records that Harrison chose the Red River Gorge because he liked the area and because it draws outdoor-minded tourists, not because the region has many venomous snakes.

The same Roadside America profile describes the layout as a small village of windowless buildings raised on cinderblocks, which keep the animals above the river's occasional flooding. Some buildings serve as showcases for noteworthy animals, and others are used for feeding and extraction, with interior windows so that visitors can watch the venom collection. The profile also says college interns serve as tour guides.

In June 2025, WEKU reported that Harrison, then described as 66, was recovering after being bitten by a venomous snake for the 16th time. According to the report, the bite occurred while he was trying to pair two Jameson's mambas for breeding, and he received 17 vials of antivenom. His wife, Kristen Wiley, who also works at the zoo, told the station he had no plans to stop the work.

Exhibits and habitats

The zoo's FAQ says the collection includes more than 75 reptile species, including snakes, turtles, lizards, and alligators, and that most residents are venomous snakes used in venom extraction. The zoo's field trip page gives a different figure, over 100 species on display, including venomous snakes, large constrictors, turtles and tortoises, and full-grown and juvenile alligators. LEX 18 has reported about 1,300 animals representing 80 to 90 species, and a separate LEX 18 report cited more than 1,700 snakes.

The FAQ describes indoor exhibits in separate buildings connected by outdoor pathways, with the temperature kept in the mid-70s for the animals. LEX 18 adds that each animal group has its own climate-controlled building. Roadside America reports cobras among the venomous species, including a king cobra, and the zoo's venom extraction page says a couple of its cobras used for extraction are some of the oldest in captivity.

The zoo states that it does not buy or sell snakes. Its FAQ says its animals are born at the zoo, given to it by another zoo, or rescued, usually with the help of Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

Conservation and programs

The zoo's venom extraction page describes its method as non-intrusive, allowing snakes to bite and inject venom naturally, without pressure on the venom glands. The page says captive-bred snakes produce greater amounts and better quality venom than wild-caught ones, and that most of the zoo's snakes are captive-born, many at the zoo itself. It also says all animals feed voluntarily and reproduce viable young.

LEX 18 reports that venom from the zoo is being researched for painkillers and for treatments for lupus and cancer, including an ongoing collaboration with Irish researchers on non-small cell lung cancer. The station also reports that about two-thirds of the zoo's venom clients are international, and that the zoo conducted roughly 500 off-site programs in the year before the report.

The zoo's website lists education and outreach that includes off-site school visits with what it calls scaly ambassadors, birthday parties, displays, community programs, training for emergency medical services and other professionals, virtual programs, and field trips to the zoo. It also offers a reptile identification service from photos and lists a Herpetology Weekend special event, an internship program, and a venom price list for professional buyers.

For field trips, the zoo says it can host groups of up to 50, that field trip hours are scheduled individually and the zoo can open outside normal business hours by appointment, and that guides give facts and answer questions. Groups of 10 or more receive a discount, and the FAQ advises large groups to call ahead to avoid crowding the small buildings.

Planning your visit

The zoo's website lists a fall schedule, September 7 through November 1, of Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Tuesday and Wednesday closed. Outside regular season hours, visitors are asked to contact the zoo by phone, text, Facebook, email, or the contact form. The phone number is 606-663-9160.

Daily shows on the zoo's website include a venom extraction demonstration at 1 p.m. and a reptile talk with a live animal at 3 p.m. The website warns that extractions are subject to change and recommends calling the morning of the visit. The FAQ says most tours last 30 to 45 minutes.

No advance tickets or reservations are required during open hours, according to the website. Admission categories include adults, children, and discounts for military, first responders, AAA members, seniors, and groups; current prices are on the zoo's website. The FAQ states that there are no restrooms on the premises and suggests a nearby rest area, and it recommends comfortable walking shoes because visitors walk outdoors between buildings.

Roadside America's directions describe the zoo as reached from the Mountain Parkway at exit 33, turning south onto Highway 11 and into the rest area, where the zoo entrance sign is in front of a caboose.