Paul Rowley

Senior Herpetologist

Background:  Paul has had a life-long interest in exotic animals particularly venomous snakes. He is the third generation of his family to have worked at Chester Zoo (1979 – 1992) progressing to level of senior reptile keeper. Paul joined the Centre for Snakebite Research & Intervention in 1993 and took over the day-to-day management of the Herpetarium. For some years now, Paul has held a unique position of being the only person in Britain routinely extracting venom from snakes, a skill that has seen him travel to remote areas of Africa and India to help with various research projects. Internationally recognized within the reptile and venomous (research) communities for his skill in the handling and husbandry of venomous snakes, he is also in demand as a public speaker for reptile societies and helps to provide training for researchers and field scientists.

External affiliations:

  • Institute of Animal Technology
  • International Herpetological Society
Recent publications: 

    Selected publications

    • Fry BG, Hendrikx I, Rowley P, et al. (2015) Maintaining venomous reptile collections: protocols and occupational safety. In: Fry BG (Editor), Venomous reptiles & their toxins: evolution, pathophysiology and biodiscovery. Oxford University Press, New York, USA. pp 89-132. ISBN: 978-0199309399.

      Currier RB, Calvete JJ, Sanz L, Harrison RA, Rowley PD, Wagstaff SC (2012) Unusual stability of messenger RNA in snake venom reveals gene expression dynamics of venom replenishment. PLoS One 7(8):e41888.

      Williams DJ, Gutiérrez J-M, Calvete JJ, Wüster W, Ratanabanangkoon K, Paiva O, Brown N, Casewell NR, Harrison RA, Rowley P, Jensen SD, Winkel KD, Warrell DA (2011) Ending the drought: new strategies for improving the flow of affordable, effective antivenoms in Asia and Africa. Journal of Proteomics. 74(9): 1735-1767. doi: 10.1016/j.jprot.2011.05.027.

      Currier  RB, Harrison, RA, RowleyPD, LaingGD and WagstaffSC (2010) Intra-specific variation in venom of the African Puff Adder (Bitis arietans): differential expression and activity of snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs). Toxicon, 55:864-873.

      Rowley PD (2003) The development of a safe restraint method for handling adult specimens of the Neotropical Rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus). The quarterly publication of the Southeastern Hot Herp Society. pp. 20 -22

      Rowley PD (1997) Herpetoculture of venomous snakes. Proceedings of the International Herpetological Society’s Symposium. pp 9-17. ISBN 1-897965-09-5