William “Will” Thacker is a Florida-based biologist with deep family roots and adventures that include the Citrus Tower and the former Skyline Motel located on US-27 in Clermont. Both landmarks were dreams come true for Will’s father, A.W. Thacker.

Will, a 1964 Clermont High School graduate, had dreams of his own that began at an early age and included the mysterious world of snakes and wildlife. Will was four years old when he remembers holding his first snake. “My first experience was with a black rat snake,” says Will. As a child, Will kept and cared for a menagerie in his family’s backyard in Clermont that consisted of animals and snakes.

At the age of 15, Will moved his collection to the Citrus Tower, where he provided guided tours and “milking” rattlesnakes for guests at the Wildlife Arena. His experiences have led to two serious venomous snakebites during his career. His first bite occurred in 1969 while handling a cottonmouth snake in the wild.  In 1971, Will was bitten by a 3 Step Viper Snake, also known as the Taiwanese or Chinese Krait. The snake’s venom is extremely potent, consisting of pre- and postsynaptic neurotoxins, which can cause progressive muscle paralysis, respiratory failure, and death if untreated. Untreated bites can be fatal, and even with antivenom, survival rates are low due to the venom’s rapid action.

After attending the University of Florida and completing his first of several degrees related to biology, Will traveled in exploration to exotic places across the world, including the Amazon River, located in the northern portion of South America. Throughout his life, Will has involved himself in traveling, collecting, researching wildlife, and teaching others.

Currently employed at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens in Sanford, Will has been a youth camp counselor, a biology teacher, and a television host. Refusing to sit still for long, Will has also operated an import company, an exotic animal shop, and has worked as a zoo curator. While attending Jacksonville University in the 1980’s, Will also enjoyed a five-year opportunity at Jacksonville Zoological Park where he taught classes and cared for the large array of wildlife at the park.

In 2019, Will returned to the familiar grounds of Central Florida to settle down but not slow down. Relocating to the Oviedo area, Will was fortunate enough to find a somewhat secluded residence near the Black Hammock Wilderness Area. “I will never have to worry about neighbors here,” says Will, while referring to the explosive growth that Central Florida is experiencing.

With another dream of documenting his experiences for others to enjoy, Will began writing short story books for his grandson, Owen. The thrill of writing grew into a jungle book series that was published on a blog and then into a paperback series. Encouraged by good friend Steve Duncan, Will launched a series of books based on his extensive journals created throughout his life of traveling the world in search of exotic animals. From those records come the stories of far-away places and unusual, and sometimes dangerous, creatures.

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The series of books is a continual project, but several have been published and are available for purchase. A sample of available books includes The Chronicles of an Exotic Cowboy, a book that follows the exploits of Will, his beloved British biologist Joann McVay, and the many friends that they encounter as they seek critters to study while exploring four continents. “I had never before heard Joann scream, but I’ll never forget it. She cried out in pain to the night itself when the rope tightened around her ankle. I turned and looked on in horror as I saw her fly out of the boat like a rag doll. She disappeared beneath the surface and was simply gone.” -excerpt from the book Orinoco.

The Life Journals book gives readers a glimpse into the life of an animal importer/exporter while allowing you to travel along with Will and his friends on their collecting expeditions. Otters on a Plane outlines Will and his closest friend, Dr. Richard Ross, as they set out on a twenty-thousand-mile odyssey across India and Africa to observe and collect wildlife. In the book, readers will enjoy real-life stories of danger that awaited the duo at every corner, and not just in the way of animals.

Adventure Road chronicles a journey that began in Clermont in June 1967. Will and three high school friends leave Clermont in a Land Rover. They would log 8,000 miles during their eight-week journey while making it as far as the Pacific Coast of Guatemala. During the last phase of the trip and while travelling through California, the team was involved in a deadly accident while on Mount Orizaba. Will and his team survived but will never forget the horrific crash scene.

“Many of our books and chronicled stories have roots that begin right here in Clermont. There are so many high school friend connections and yesteryear Clermont people in these books,” says Will. If you know Will Thacker, you know that he has lived a life full of adventure, thrill-seeking, all while experiencing nature in a way that most could only dream of or simply run away from. Whether you know Will or not, you will not be disappointed in his collection of excitement that has been journaled for all to enjoy.

Please visit www.WThacker.com for a complete listing of books, chronicles, and life journals.

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