Austin Stevens

Wildlife Photographer, Filmmaker & Author Best Known for Hosting a Series of Snake Documentaries

Travels From Travels From:
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Categories Categories:
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Austin Stevens Biography

Austin Stevens is a South African-born herpetologist, wildlife photographer, filmmaker and author best known for hosting a series of snake documentaries, best known of which is "Austin Stevens: Most Dangerous."

Austin Stevens was born in Pretoria, South Africa, and became interested in snakes at the age of 12. By the time he finished school, his reptile collection included some of the most exotic and venomous species in the world.

His mother lost a lung in a car accident as a girl, was often ill, and died when Stevens was in his 30s; his father owned a small typewriter repair business. He traces his adventurous streak back to his grandfather from Bristol, England—also named Austin James Stevens—part founder of the AJS Motorbike Corporation, but later took the boat to Africa.

Stevens got heavily into motorcycles and gangs and spent years as a self-described "loose cannon." He gave up motorcycles in 1974 after a near-fatal accident during a race. What saved him, he says, was being offered a job at the Transvaal Snake Park, near Johannesburg, which rekindled his passion for wildlife. He became the curator of reptiles at the Transvaal Snake Park, where he spent six years undergoing hands-on training to become a fully qualified herpetologist.

After leaving the Transvaal Snake Park, he took up a position as Curator of Herpetology at the Nordharzer Schlangenfarm in Germany, a park which he helped design and bring into operation before returning to Africa, where he took up the position as Curator of Reptiles at the Hartebeespoort Dam Snake and Animal Park. In an effort to generate funds and public interest in the plight of African gorillas, Austin set a record by spending 107 days and nights in a cage with 36 of the most venomous and dangerous snakes in Africa. On the 96th day, he was bitten by a cobra, but to many people's amazement he refused to leave the cage and was instead treated in the cage. Although very sick from the snakebite, he completed the 107 days and beat the existing Guinness World Record (documented in the Guinness Book of Animal Records). His world record has never been duplicated nor broken, though there have been a number of other attempts at similar records (records attempted with different conditions and snakes to Stevens' record.) From that experience, Austin authored a book entitled "Snakes in my Bed." Thereafter, Austin moved to Namibia where he became involved in wildlife photography and film making.

Nowadays Austin's career in herpetology includes presenting a series of TV programs about reptiles and other wild animals. The main program "Austin Stevens: Snakemaster" is also known as "Austin Stevens: Most Dangerous" on Animal Planet and Austin Stevens Adventures broadcast on Animal Planet and five in the United Kingdom. His show was also presented in high definition on HDNet under the title Austin Stevens Adventures in the U.S. in the fall of 2009. His latest book "The Last Snake Man" was published in the UK by Noir Publishing.

Stevens never received any formal photography training, and says he does not have a large collection of camera gear, preferring to keep his kit compact. He describes himself as a 'Canon fan' who has used various brands of cameras since the 1970s. In many of the early episodes he is seen using the Canon EOS 50D and later the Canon 300D. In the second season, he uses the Samsung GX-10, which he uses with both Samsung and Pentax lenses. He also uses a Samsung Pro815 and an unspecified Sony Cybershot model for general use.

BOOK Austin Stevens

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 07/03/2024.

FAQs on booking Austin Stevens

  • How do I book Austin Stevens to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Austin Stevens for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Austin Stevens, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Austin Stevens or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Austin Stevens

    Speaking fees for Austin Stevens, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Austin Stevens are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Austin Stevens, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Austin Stevens speak about?

    Austin Stevens is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Adventure, Authors, Television & Film.
  • Where does Austin Stevens travel from?

    Austin Stevens generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Austin Stevens’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Austin Stevens for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Austin Stevens for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Austin Stevens or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Austin Stevens is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Austin Stevens for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Austin Stevens generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Josh Gates, Kai Lenny, Aldo Kane, Buddy Levy and Leon Logothetis. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Austin Stevens for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP