Some Chinese farmers have taken to raising snakes.
The village of Zisiqiao has been dubbed China’s “snake village” because 100 local farms have raised nearly 3,000,000 pythons, vipers and cobras. In fact, snakes outnumber people by a ratio of about 3,000 to one.
One particular snake, the Chinese copperhead, also has the distinction of being called the “five-pacer” snake. It’s believed, once a person is bit by the reptile, he or she will only take five steps before succumbing to its venom.
Snake meat is sold to restaurants, while other body parts are used in traditional Chinese medicine.
And venom from some snakes can be sold for 5,500 Chinese yuan, or about US$711 per gram.