A video of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrangling two snakes bare-handed captured the internet’s fascination Tuesday, the latest animal encounter the U.S. health secretary has shared publicly that has sparked intrigue and in some cases concern.Kennedy shared the clip of himself grabbing the tails of the non-venomous black racer snakes on his personal social media accounts, noting in the caption that he was removing them from the patio of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. An avid outdoorsman, Kennedy has posted numerous photos and videos over the years of himself interacting with wild animals. He’s also shared tales of such interactions, including admitting once planting a bear carcass in New York’s Central Park as a prank.Internet users reacted with joy, incredulity and outcry at Kennedy’s latest clip, which shows the snakes biting in the direction of his fingers as Oz asks questions about the snakes. Kennedy’s wife, actress Cheryl Hines, can be heard saying “Why?” and telling her husband to let them go.
Herpetologists said the species in the clip is largely harmless to humans, even if it bites. But they said people should be mindful of the stress that handling snakes can put on the creatures, and to avoid grabbing them by the tails as Kennedy does in the video, because it can cause injuries to their spines.
