Freek Vonk

He has been bitten by a number of venomous snakes, almost lost his arm due to a Caribbean reef shark bite[1] and has housed several parasites in his own body.

[8] He advanced as a postdoctoral researcher at the Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group at Bangor University, sequencing and studying the genomes and transcriptomes of the king cobra.

In his early career, Vonk appeared in several television and radio programmes, including De Wereld Draait Door, GIEL and Vroege Vogels.

In August 2011, the Dutch television programme Uitgesproken broadcast an entire episode about Vonk and his pet rock monitor lizard Johan.

Among the most highly acclaimed TV projects were three episodes of ‘DWDD University’ in which Prof. Dr. Vonk gave an hour-long lecture about venom, the evolution of animals and super senses.

From 1927 to 1937, naval officer and politician Jean Jacques Rambonnet fulfilled that role with the De Nederlandsche Padvinders (NPV, "The Dutch Pathfinders").