The reptile farm is an institution privately owned but working with the government. The aims are to participate in research, collect data or samples, help preserve the natural fauna in the Gambia, and mainly to help Gambians live in peace with their wild population of reptiles in general and snakes in particular.

On the site, you can join a guided visit of a pretty complete collection of many Gambian reptiles. You will get information about the different animals, their biology but also their interaction with humans, and how they are perceived by the Gambians. You can even feel or hold some of the non-dangerous ones.

Most of the animals are brought in from the properties of Gambians that complain about their presence and would kill them otherwise. Most of them stay on the reptile farm for a few months and are after released in the wild, in places where they are not dangerous to humans and where humans are not harmful to them. You will also be able to see the results of the effort to reproduce endangered species of tortoises.

After the visit, you can relax and refresh with some cold beverages in their bar.

This institution operates solely on the visitors' entrance fees. By visiting, you also enable the reptile farm to allow 4000 or 5000 Gambian children to visit the farm at a given-away price. The primary mission of the farm is for the Gambians to have a more rational attitude towards their reptiles. They need to understand that most of them are entirely harmless and that even the dangerous ones can be helpful for the environment and easily avoided. If you are coming with a group, you can arrange to be a part of an expedition to make a crocodile population survey on the rivers.

The Gambian Reptiles Farm is located on the Coastal Road between Gunjur and Kartong. It is open from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm. The entrance fee is 300 Dalasis.

Photos by Kaja Horvat