# Mark O'Shea



## Diablo (May 25, 2007)

Yay or Nay.
What are your views on this guy.

Mine are Muppet point blank.


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

he brings snakes to the forefront and for that he must be respected, I obviously dont know him personally or what hes like as a person but his shows are quite entertaining


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## Diablo (May 25, 2007)

Entertaining its supposed to Educational  lol


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## Magpye (Jan 26, 2007)

He could be the anti-christ for all I care, its the directors and editors jobs to make sure the material is fit for purpose.


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## martyn (Jun 5, 2007)

Remember whati showed in the other thread :

*RE: Mark O'Shea Answers Questions* Reply by martyn on March 31, 2007 Mail this to a friend! Hi Mark hows it going ? 

I have'nt seen your shows in a while, but remember the one on the splendid leaf frog that lives in eastern Costa Rica . I remember at some point in the programme you come across a Golfo Dulce arrow frog . According to all the range maps i was looking at, they dont live any where near the area you found one. Do they occur in that part of costa rica then ? 

Cheers 

*RE: Mark O'Shea Answers Questions* Reply by Mark_OShea on June 12, 2007 Mail this to a friend! Hi Martyn 

Not been around to answer questions for a while. 
Whne I made the film in Costa Rica, way back in '99, we travelled widely through the eastern half of the country. Now I don't recall the common names for the frogs we found, esp. now eight years later, but I was in the company of a top neotrpical frog expert Andrew Gray, and he idented most of them - snakes are strong point after all. You have provided a common name but no scientific name and since most of these species have conflicting common names I simply cannot answer your question. However, rest assured, the No.1 rule of OBA was No Setups, so if we found a species, we really did find it, end of story. 


This guy is ment to be one of the best herpetologists ? i don't think so


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## darkdan99 (Dec 28, 2006)

LOL 

Common names aint worth shit. 

If you give him the latin names WHICH ARE THE PROPER NAMES then he can help. 

For intance, if i say to you what is a chicken snake, you will not know which snake i am refering to, since chicken snake is a common name given to 5 (that i know of) ratsnakes.

Wheras if i say "elaphe guttata" for instance you will know what i am talking about.

Your question was with regard to "does it really live there" and the answer is simply YES, since we didnt set it up, it must.


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## Tops (Apr 26, 2007)

I cant believe people are argueing over this bloke
The answer is simple. 

If you like him - watch him

If you dont - then dont

Who gives as toss. (and that was a statement not a question)


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

who is he?


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## darkdan99 (Dec 28, 2006)

Good point Tops. 

(and i do give a toss, because by slating the most well known herpatologists, you are slating the hobby for which he stands.

If a non-herper come on, and sees that everyone thinks he is a twit then they will think 1 sec he is a twit therefore all snake keepers are twits....I am NOT a twit)

(ok, maybe a little bit..)


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## mynameisjon1988 (Mar 18, 2007)

mark o'shea lives near me :smile::lol2:

I think he is ok TBO if not a bit weird i can remember one day he randomly came running out of his door then ran past the chippy and into the car park stopped looked at the floor for a while then ran back to his house :lol2:


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## martyn (Jun 5, 2007)

On my question provided the golfodulce arrow frog . There is only one Frog called Golfodulce arrow frog . Named that because it lives in the golfo ducle region of costa rica. Although the granular arrow frog also lives there ya very unlikley to mistake them two.


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## darkdan99 (Dec 28, 2006)

It was probably about one days filming 8 years ago. 

If i was to say where was that alsation you saw, the white one, in march 1999 would you know?

Fair enough he is an "expert" but like he said, he is into snakes, not obscure little frogs. 
THere was another expert on hand for the identification of the frogs. 

I cannot see your point, in honesty


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## Razzladazzla (Feb 5, 2007)

This is pretty much a duplicated thread and ought to be closed. If the poll is that important then it should at least be in the snakes section, where the main thread about Mark O'shea is running.


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## martyn (Jun 5, 2007)

Herpetology the study of reptiles and amphibians . There are real experts out there , why give him all the fuss.


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## Razzladazzla (Feb 5, 2007)

Just vote with your off button. I will be voting with my On button personally.


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## Mez (Feb 19, 2007)

BEWARE: Slander.
lets remember "free speach" has to be interperated by a judge. not you.
Beware....: victory:


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## darkdan99 (Dec 28, 2006)

and he knows about them both, but SPECILISES in one field, that is snakes. 

So what if he cannot remember the common name for a bloody frog, its not like confusing a python and cobra. 

you are blowing this totaly out of proportion.


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## Diablo (May 25, 2007)

TBQFH i dont care about slander he is a muppet


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## slither61 (Nov 18, 2006)

HI all,

Snake charmer could you answer any question put to you about reptiles and forget nothing. If you can then you should leave the hobby because you know every thing and cannot learn anymore.
You never stop learning, and trying too belittle someone sounds like you are jealous.

There are better things to debate lets get on with it.


slither61 :snake::snake::snake:


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## Diablo (May 25, 2007)

Excuse me slither where did i say i know every thing etc. Because Id like to enlighten you that I don't. You learn different things about reptiles everyday, as for Mark O'Shea who makes out he does know everything etc and he is to be perfectly honest a big headed Muppet. If someone was to go to another who says they know more than anyone about bearded dragons etc and then sexes on wrong then thats not professional at all. I have met this guy and he does make out to people that he knows almost everything that hes worked with nearly every reptile thats going when really he hasn't. He crapped himself during filming underwater because of a coral snake if any of you recall that now he will not go under water with any snakes because he had a shock and a half, Sounds like im jealous lol far from it i just know what a [email protected] this guy is.


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## tombraider (May 6, 2006)

Well he seems to know a hell of a lot more than folks on here so he gets my vote.


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## Fangio (Jun 2, 2007)

I met Mark after a behind-the-scenes visit at London zoo and a talk given by him there. Spoke to him at length afterwards. He seemed like a very knowledgeable and friendly guy. He's passionate about his field and his programmes are about research instead of "look at this snake see how I can piss it off for the camera". 

Now some of you seem to have issue with him here over stupid tiny things which you're blowing out of all proportion. I say get over it already.


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## Tops (Apr 26, 2007)

Dont worry about it. They just fancy each other and dont know how to come to terms with it.


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## martyn (Jun 5, 2007)

My point is that everyone makes fuss because he's on tv . There are real experts out there . I ve met Mark and i would'nt even consider him one of the most knowledgable i ve met never mind in the world.


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## Fangio (Jun 2, 2007)

martyn said:


> My point is that everyone makes fuss because he's on tv . There are real experts out there . I ve met Mark and i would'nt even consider him one of the most knowledgable i ve met never mind in the world.


He's never claimed to be the most knowledgeable herper in the world. As I said above, I've met him too and thought him to be both knowledgeable and friendly.

Everyone is fallable and NO-ONE knows everything about anything IMO. Anyone who says they do is v.arrogant.


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## Diablo (May 25, 2007)

That is the way Mr O'Shea presented himself as a VERY arrogant person when at WMSP. Fair enough he might be knowledgable and maybe he as done what people have said but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But anyway did anyone see that goat on the M6 motorway yesterday?


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## ratboy (Jan 10, 2007)

I have a signed book written by Mark from the FBH conference in 2005... Venomous snakes of the world... it's very good. A very interesting person to talk to indeed.


Have to say ... to be slated for not being able to identify a frog that you saw 8 years ago from it's common name when you specialise in snakes is really very funny


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## martyn (Jun 5, 2007)

The golfodulce arrow frog is a very well known frog, any random joe that keeps herps knows what one is i would have thought big herpetologist would.


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## eeji (Feb 22, 2006)

i think he's good. I think this forum is starting to become over run with muppets who seem to need 2 threads to slag off other herpers. If you don't like him, then don't watch him. Theres plenty of people I think are total muppets, but like has been suggested I vote with the 'Off' button.


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## Guest (Jun 18, 2007)

eeji said:


> i think he's good. I think this forum is starting to become over run with muppets who seem to need 2 threads to slag off other herpers. If you don't like him, then don't watch him. Theres plenty of people I think are total muppets, but like has been suggested I vote with the 'Off' button.


Well said


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## PendleHog (Dec 21, 2005)

martyn said:


> The golfodulce arrow frog is a very well known frog, any random joe that keeps herps knows what one is i would have thought big herpetologist would.


Dont be ridiculous! I can bet most of the herpers on this forum dont know (and probably dont care..) what a golfoduce arror frog is, so why on earth would someone who specialises in venomous? 

I keep terrestrial rear fanged species, they are my "thing" and I could talk all day about them in detail, but ask me to identify a frog and I will probably shrug and send you packing.

I agree with eeji on this one.. if you dont like him dont watch his shows. And dont ruin perfectly good threads with your personal vendettas :bash:


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

i'd love to go backpacking/herping with him. he'd be fun to hang out with. i think we'd get along.


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## ratboy (Jan 10, 2007)

PendleHog said:


> Dont be ridiculous! I can bet most of the herpers on this forum dont know (and probably dont care..) what a golfoduce arror frog is, so why on earth would someone who specialises in venomous?


Well said. I have no real interest in amphibians... and I have never heard of a golfowotsit frog in my life.


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## martyn (Jun 5, 2007)

Fair enough. But when i spoke to a friend a long time ago he said a Herpetologist someone who studies both reptiles and amphibians , they should know in great detail about both as that is what he believes makes a good zoologist.

But maybe i should'nt compare mark o shea to other zoologists


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## ratboy (Jan 10, 2007)

Point is that 'herpotologist' is such a global term.

I am a professional software engineer and can create programs in about 7 different computer languages... but if somebody asked me to create a program in Fortran 77, a language that I have not used for about 15 years... I could do it, but I would have to refresh my memory by reading a book...

That does not mean I am not a software engineer... it means I cant retain knowledge that I have had no reason to use for 15 years.

Same presumably goes for herpetology.


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

martyn said:


> Fair enough. But when i spoke to a friend a long time ago he said a Herpetologist someone who studies both reptiles and amphibians , they should know in great detail about both as that is what he believes makes a good zoologist.
> 
> But maybe i should'nt compare mark o shea to other zoologists


i only know of them because i lived there.:lol2:


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## peaches (Apr 3, 2007)

So are you saying that a zoologist should know about EVERY animal??

Please, that is daft, people specialise, you have to, either know a little about alot or alot about a little.

And what was that frog again? :lol2:


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

peaches said:


> So are you saying that a zoologist should know about EVERY animal?


 
yep! absolutely!!


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## peaches (Apr 3, 2007)

HABU said:


> yep! absolutely!!


So that must be the 'a little about alot' theory then?

So then in a zoo, someone who looks after primates all the time, knows exactly the same as the person who looks after the big cats or vice versa.

Ok you might learn a broad spectrum but surely you have to concentrate on one part or another???


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

peaches said:


> So that must be the 'a little about alot' theory then?
> 
> So then in a zoo, someone who looks after primates all the time, knows exactly the same as the person who looks after the big cats or vice versa.
> 
> Ok you might learn a broad spectrum but surely you have to concentrate on one part or another???


that just separates the truly good zoololgists from the rest of the pack. it justs depends on how good you want to be. ok? or good? or awesome? like being a car mechanic. know a little, do a little. know a lot, do a lot. you can just change oil all the time or be formula 1!! it's what separates the men from the boys.
you will specailize, but have that solid foundation.


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## mutt (Jul 5, 2005)

eeji said:


> i think he's good. I think this forum is starting to become over run with muppets who seem to need 2 threads to slag off other herpers. If you don't like him, then don't watch him. Theres plenty of people I think are total muppets, but like has been suggested I vote with the 'Off' button.


well said ian, the only problem is they are like woodlice and just keep on coming out of the woodwork...........:whip:


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

didnt you know this forum is the centre of the herping world what said and goes on here is like the bible:lol2:


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## mutt (Jul 5, 2005)

sorry couldnt read what you just typed as im just burning the bush


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## eeji (Feb 22, 2006)

whos bush??? :grin1:


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## mutt (Jul 5, 2005)

:lol2:the burning bush of babylon, oh no got bloody lion of zion running through my head and doing this whilst watching kyonari throwing his bike down the road in british superbikes...........


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

eeji said:


> i think he's good. I think this forum is starting to become over run with muppets who seem to need 2 threads to slag off other herpers. If you don't like him, then don't watch him. Theres plenty of people I think are total muppets, but like has been suggested I vote with the 'Off' button.


Well said Eeji, I found Mark O Shea's programmes very interesting (when we had a telly)



martyn said:


> The golfodulce arrow frog is a very well known frog, any random joe that keeps herps knows what one is i would have thought big herpetologist would.


It's Golfo Dulce actually.
I'd best put all my animals up for re-homing then as evidently I know jack squat about reptiles as I haven't heard of this frog till this thread came along.


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## greenlikegecko (May 18, 2007)

Fixx said:


> I'd best put all my animals up for re-homing then as evidently I know jack squat about reptiles.


ill have them fixx :lol2:, seems abit pedantic to slate him for maybe not knowing one frog when he knows soo much about so many other things... although if you look at snake charmers last poll (tryin to slate someone for givin a snake ribena) it didnt work out in his favour ne ways.. keep up the good work mark


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## mutt (Jul 5, 2005)

but he doesnt know everything....his knowledgeable boyfriend does


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## DaveM (Oct 18, 2006)

martyn said:


> The golfodulce arrow frog is a very well known frog, any random joe that keeps herps knows what one is i would have thought big herpetologist would.


a golfo what?

tbh, his interest is snakes, not frogs he even says that so, well, I can't think of anything else t say apart from pffft, lol


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## mutt (Jul 5, 2005)

:lol2:did you just put a phart into your post there dave???:lol2:


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## DaveM (Oct 18, 2006)

yes, yes I did :lol:


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## mutt (Jul 5, 2005)

:lol2::lol2:i thought you had, just had to ask though:lol2::lol2:


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## DaveM (Oct 18, 2006)

I couldn't think of anything else worth adding as his arguments are infantile, so I thought I would stoop to his level and add a fart :lol:


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## mutt (Jul 5, 2005)

oy dont say that or he will smack you with his boyfriends crayons:whip:


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## DaveM (Oct 18, 2006)

hahahahaaaa, well, if they don't draw blood it can always be added with the red crayon


but tbj, I know it isn't snake keeping, but I enjoy fishing, coarse fishing, but I couldn't tell you how to tie a fly, at all, but am still a fisherman, it's just the same thing but wiyth fishing really, y'know, it was 8 years ago, he said he doesb't specialise in frogs, sp they slate hime

anyone with half a brain knows that there are many different common names for the same animal, or the same name for 2 different animals, so I don't consider him any less of a herper cos he made a mistake, lol


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

DaveM said:


> I couldn't think of anything else worth adding as his arguments are infantile, so I thought I would stoop to his level and add a fart :lol:


like a pull my finger fart:lol2:


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## DaveM (Oct 18, 2006)

exactly mate :lol:


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## tombraider (May 6, 2006)

hey! so this is where you lot have been hanging out :whip:


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## mutt (Jul 5, 2005)

sorry max just swinging around putting pharts into conversations, we could say the same thing to you as well now that matts on his hols the forum seems to of gone quietPFFFFTTTT


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## mutt (Jul 5, 2005)

SiUK said:


> like a pull my finger fart:lol2:


my 7 year old asked my mum to do that the other day, i thought it was hilarious my mum didnt as for my 7 year old he wet himself from laughing so hard


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## tombraider (May 6, 2006)

mutt said:


> sorry max just swinging around putting pharts into conversations, we could say the same thing to you as well now that matts on his hols the forum seems to of gone quietPFFFFTTTT


well just keep those farts for this forum please :lol2:


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## mutt (Jul 5, 2005)

yeah no worries PFFRRTTTTTT *rushing off to the toilet now though*


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## Barry.M (May 19, 2006)

I like Mark O'Shea better than all the rest put together!No staged captures,none of that Indianna Jones bullshit that Austin Stevens tries to do(very unconvincingly!) and a genuine passion for all things reptilian.


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## Barry.M (May 19, 2006)

Fixx said:


> Well said Eeji, I found Mark O Shea's programmes very interesting (when we had a telly)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Me too then,I been keeping 20 years this year and I never heard of a Dolce & Gabanna frog either mate!:lol2:


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## mutt (Jul 5, 2005)

i have full respect for anyone who wants to dive onto the biggest snake that hes found and then tell you all about it, not keen on austin though, bit pretentious and full of himself but people are different in real life though


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## eeji (Feb 22, 2006)

heheheee its just like the old days in here...









PPPPFFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTT!!!!


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