A Malaysian firefighter whose skills at handling poisonous serpents won him the nickname "The Snake Whisperer" died on Friday after being bitten by a cobra. 
 
 Abu Zarin Hussin, 33, was attacked by the venomous reptile during an operation in the western Malaysian municipality of Bentong. 
 
 He served in the Temerloh Fire and Rescue Department for the past decade, giving training sessions on how to identify and handle snakes, Malay publication The Star Online reported, a common task for firefighters in the country. 
 
 Hussin was bitten by snakes several times and previously survived a snake attack in 2015 after spending two days in a coma. But the near-death experience did not stop him from befriending reptiles—he even kept four cobras as pets to study their behavior, publishing pictures of their coexistence on his social media channels. 
 
 His pictures once gathered the attention of international media, who claimed he had married a 10-foot cobra because it resembled his dead girlfriend. He vehemently denied the reports, which were published in Thai publications and British tabloids. 
 
 "I just want to express my disappointment over the attitude of a handful of foreign journalists who acted in clear violation of journalistic ethics in publishing the news, especially since the pictures were clearly taken from my Facebook account," he told The Star Online in November 2016. 
 
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 In that interview, the firefighter described how he first learnt to handle snakes. 
 
 "I started training with snakes in 2007. My interest stems from my father, who was a snake charmer," he said. 
 
 "Before I joined the Fire and Rescue Department, I was afraid of snakes and would avoid them. But perhaps I inherited my talent from my father and now practice with him," he added. 
 
 His talent was displayed in several Youtube videos and even during an episode of Asia's Got Talent aired on October 12, in which he performed a daring act involving kissing a cobra on its head. ||||| Image copyright Abu Zarin Husin Image caption Abu Zarin Hussin takes a selfie with one of his snakes 
 
 A Malaysian man who became famous for his snake-handling skills has died after being bitten by a cobra. 
 
 Abu Zarin Hussin, a firefighter, first shot to fame after British tabloids published a story incorrectly identifying him as a Thai man who'd allegedly married his pet snake. 
 
 Mr Hussin had trained other firefighters on how to handle snakes. 
 
 But he was admitted to hospital on Monday after being bitten a cobra during a snake-catching operation. 
 
 According to local news outlet The Star, the 33-year-old who lived in the state of Pahang, often taught other firemen how to identify different snake species and ways to capture them without having to kill. 
 
 He had also participated in television programme Asia's Got Talent, where he pulled off the daring act of "kissing" a snake. 
 
 Image copyright iStock Image caption File photo of a King Cobra, the world's longest venomous snake 
 
 In 2016, a story was published in Thai media - and later in several UK tabloids - naming Mr Hussin as a Thai man who'd married a snake, believing it to be his "reincarnated girlfriend". 
 
 The stories used pictures from Mr Hussin's social media which showed him playfully spending time with snakes. 
 
 Mr Hussin, who kept four snakes at home to better understand their behaviour, told reporters: "They used my photos and started making up stories, saying that I married a snake." 
 
 He later told the BBC he was "very disappointed" by the fake reports. ||||| PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Famous Malaysian "snake whisperer" firefighter Abu Zarin Hussin has died after being bitten by a cobra. 
 
 Abu Zarin, 33, died at 12.40am on Friday (March 16) after he was attacked by a cobra during an operation in Bentong on Monday (March 12). 
 
 When contacted, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department Assistant Director of Operation Mohd Sani Harul confirmed Abu Zarin's death. 
 
 Mohd Sani said that he was bitten by a cobra at 7.54pm on Monday and was sent to Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital. 
 
 Abu Zarin, who was attached to Temerloh fire station, became a viral sensation after he was featured on Internet portals from around the world as well as British tabloids The Daily Mirror and The Daily Mail. 
 
 The articles mistakenly identified him as a Thai man who had married his pet snake as he believed it was his dead girlfriend due to its "striking resemblance" to her. 
 
 Unfortunately, the images used were actually of Abu Zarin and his pet snake. And no, he was not married to it. 
 
 Abu Zarin had conducted snake catching and training classes for firemen, who are often called up to capture the serpents by members of the public who find them in homes or public places. 
 
 Related Story I did not marry snake that resembled dead girlfriend, says Malaysian firefighter 
 
 During those sessions, he taught firemen how to identify the different snake species, especially the venomous ones and their bites, and ways to capture them without killing them. 
 
 Abu Zarin's talent in handling snakes even found him a spot at the quarter finals of television program Asia's Got Talent. 
 
 It is learnt that Abu Zarin has been at the receiving end of snake bites before. 
 
 He was in a coma for two days due to a cobra bite in 2015. 
 
 Abu Zarin's body has been transported to his hometown in Kampung Permatang Gading, Pasir Putih, Kelantan to be buried after Friday prayers. ||||| KUANTAN: When zookeeper Mohd Sabron Jamil Kamarudin was hospitalised after he was bitten by a king cobra in 2012, firemen Abu Zarin Hussin would visit him regularly to provide support. 
 
 Sadly, Abu Zarin, who gained fame for his breathtaking snake-catching skills, himself succumbed to a cobra bite he sustained on March 13 at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital's (HOSHAS) Intensive Care Unit early today. 
 
 Sabron, who spent more than a month at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) here and went under the knife seven times after the snake bite, said he was shocked with the news. 
 
 The 31-year-old Kuantan Municipal Council staff said he became close friends with Abu Zarin when he was warded at HTAA after he was bitten by a king cobra on March 1, 2012. 
 
 "I clearly remember our first meeting when he came to the ward in his fireman uniform....that marked the beginning of our friendship. Abu Zarin will regularly drop by to visit me and gave me the strength, and support I needed at the time. 
 
 "We started sharing stories and experiences in handling the reptile, and despite being an 
 
 expert in handling king cobras, Abu Zarin still consulted me on certain matters....he is well- 
 
 respected by many people," he said when contacted today. 
 
 Sabron, who works at Teruntum Zoo here, said upon learning about Abu Zarin's death about 2am today, he and a few friends rushed to HOSHAS in Temerloh to pay their last respects. 
 
 "Upon reaching HOSHAS, we were informed that the hearse carrying his remains had just left the hospital premises to Pasir Puteh, Kelantan. 
 
 “I managed to contact his family and we were allowed to pay our last respects when the 
 
 hearse stopped at the Temerloh toll plaza. I have lost a daring and genuine friend, who is one of a kind," said Sabron, who only relies on his right arm now. 
 
 In the March 1, 2012 incident, Sabron waited for four hours for the right anti-venom after 
 
 being bitten by a king cobra on his left wrist while cleaning the snake's cage. 
 
 Meanwhile, former Temerloh fire and rescue station volunteer fireman Mohd Ikhwan Hafizi Ali, 30, said he will not forget the times when Abu Zarin and him used to enter rubber estates to track down the cobras. 
 
 "It will sometimes take hours but Abu Zarin will remain patient. Although he was off-duty, 
 
 whenever a villager reports the presence of a reptile, the both of us will go and try to 
 
 catch the snake. 
 
 "There were times when we stepped on the snakes' nest when trying to catch the reptile at 
 
 plantations and at times we were almost bitten by the highly poisonous cobras," he said. 
 
 Temerloh forestry department officer Azqan Dalila Ahmad Tajudin, 32, said she became more confident in handling snakes including cobras after attending a course organised by Abu Zarin last year. 
 
 "He showed the proper techniques and equipments to handle the snakes. All the knowledge that he shared with me has been helpful since I often enter the jungle to carry out my duties and risk crossing paths with the reptiles," she said. 
 
 Abu Zarin, 33, who was in critical condition after being bitten by a cobra he was attempting to catch in Bentong, was later taken to HOSHAS. He died at 12.55am today. 
 
 He led the Fire and Rescue Department's King Cobra Squad which was established in 2015 to 
 
 help train firemen to catch venomous animals and often conducted training. 
 
 Reporting By Raja Norain Hidayah Raja Abdul Aziz, Mohd Rafi Mamat and Nazirul Roselan ||||| PETALING JAYA - (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) Malaysian firefighter Abu Zarin Hussin received a rude shock last week when he found out that international news agencies claimed he had married his pet snake. 
 
 Abu Zarin, 31, who is attached to the Temerloh fire station, was featured in Internet portals from around the world as well as British tabloids The Daily Mirror and The Daily Mail. 
 
 The articles mistakenly identified him as a Thai man who had married his pet snake as he believed it was his dead girlfriend due to its "striking resemblance" to her. 
 
 Unfortunately, the images used were actually of Abu Zarin and his pet snake. And no, he is not married to it. 
 
 
 
 Abu Zarin working on his laptop while his pet snake watches television. PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK 
 
 
 
 Instead, he keeps the snakes as part of his role in the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department. 
 
 Abu Zarin conducts snake catching and training classes for firemen, who are often called up to capture the serpents by members of the public who find them in homes or public places. 
 
 "The pictures are of me. They used my photos and started making up stories, saying that I married a snake," he said. 
 
 
 
 Abu Zarin giving his pet snakes a bath. PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK 
 
 
 
 "I just want to express my disappointment over the attitude of a handful of foreign journalists who acted in clear violation of journalistic ethics in publishing the news, especially since the pictures were clearly taken from my Facebook account," he told The Star Online on Thursday. 
 
 Abu Zarin explained that he kept snakes to better understand their nature and temperament. 
 
 "The snakes are with me so that I can observe their behaviour. Catching snakes are part of a fireman's duty. I am training other firemen how to handle and manage snakes. So that after they are caught, we can release them back into their natural habitat," he said, adding that he wanted to improve the current snake-catching courses. 
 
 
 
 Abu Zarin with his pet snake at the gym. PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK 
 
 
 
 The main goals of the courses were for firemen to get familiar with the species of snakes, especially the venomous ones and their bites, and how to capture them without killing them. 
 
 Abu Zarin said he did not keep the same snake all the time. When a new snake arrives, he releases the previous one back into the wild. 
 
 He added that he never keeps a snake for more than a year and currently has four snakes under his care. 
 
 "I started training with snakes in 2007. My interest stems from my father, who was a snake charmer. But my talent for it only surfaced when I joined the Fire and Rescue Department," he said. 
 
 "Snakes are really not difficult to handle. There are many false claims out there about snakes - that they are vicious or attack people. 
 
 "Before I joined the Fire and Rescue Department, I was afraid of snakes and would avoid them. But perhaps I inherited my talent from my father and now practice with him," he said. 
 
 Judging from the images on his Facebook account, Abu Zarin looks very comfortable with snakes - and they in turn appear to trust and are obedient to him. 
 
 Abu Zarin, who hails from Kelantan, documents his adventure with his pet snakes on the Facebook page Wira Penyelamat. ||||| Rating is available when the video has been rented. 
 
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– Just a few days after being bitten by a cobra, Malaysia's famous "Snake Whisperer" has died. The Star and Free Malaysia Today report that 33-year-old firefighter Abu Zarin Hussin was attacked by the snake earlier this week in Betong while trying to catch it, and he was rushed to two different hospitals over the past several days, finally succumbing to his injuries in the ICU of the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital on Friday. Hussin, who the BBC says kept four snakes at home, had become both a local and international celebrity for his snake-handling acumen, which he used to train fellow firefighters so that they could respond to calls about snake sightings. Under Hussin's tutelage, firefighters learned how to ID different types of snakes, with a particular eye for the poisonous ones, as well as the most humane ways to capture them. Newsweek explains how Hussin shot to international fame in 2016 when overseas tabloids mistakenly used his picture for a story on a man who reportedly married his pet snake. An interview in the Star noted Hussin, who began his hobby in 2007, got his inspiration from his snake-charmer dad. "Before I joined the [fire department], I was afraid of snakes and would avoid them," he said. "But ... now [I] practice with [my father]." Hussin had been bitten a few times before, with one incident in 2015 even sending him into a two-day coma. But he couldn't stay away from the slithery reptiles, and he even took his act to Asia's Got Talent. A zookeeper tells the New Straits Times how, after he was bit by a snake in 2012, he met Hussin and struck up an instant friendship. "I have lost a daring and genuine friend," he says. (This man posed with a rattler, then got bit.)