Brian Barczyk was a reptile expert who founded the Reptarium Reptile Zoo in Michigan and had widely followed channels on TikTok and YouTube.
- Died: January 14, 2024 (Who else died on January 14?)
- Details of death: Died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 54.
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Brian Barczyk’s legacy
A longtime reptile enthusiast, Barczyk first gained wide exposure when he appeared on the Discovery Channel reality series “Venom Hunters” in 2016. In 2018, he founded the Reptarium, an interactive reptile zoo in the Detroit area. With hundreds of animals on display, the zoo is home to a wide variety of snakes and lizards, as well as rare animals including a two-headed turtle.
Barczyk gained followers far beyond the Detroit area via his social media channels. He posted regular vlogs and videos on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, detailing his work with reptiles. Popular videos showed Barczyk feeding (and being bitten by) snakes, working with reptile eggs, unboxing new reptiles, and more. He also shared his cancer diagnosis and updates via his vlog.
Recently, Barczyk had been working on founding the LegaSea Aquarium addition to the zoo, which is set to open soon.
Notable quote
“I love all animals. But in particular, I have an affinity towards reptiles and all I want is for people to realize how amazing they are.” —from a 2020 interview for Business Insider.
Tributes to Brian Barczyk
Full obituary: People
