Once you enter the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, the first thing you will notice is the Irula Snake Catchers Industrial Cooperative Society. This is really an amazing place, here you get a chance to watch live poisonous snakes from close proximity (about 4 to 5 feet).
As we entered the society, we saw more than 50 pots sealed with cloth. I am sure that most of the pots contained poisonous snakes.
Three men were handling the snakes and were interacting with the visitors. We all were just few feet away from the Cobra. There were other species like Russel Viper, Common Krait, etc. some most poisoners than the Cobra. I guess the men belonged to the Irula tribes.
We had an interactive session with them. The men handling the snakes were very informative. One guy I interacted with was bitted by Cobra for 4 times. He showed me the bite marks in his hands.
The above image shows a member handling the snake venom.
The snakes here are captured for venom and later released into a nearby forest after marking it so that they are not caught again.
I am not sure about the name of the snake in the above image. It is either a Russells Viper or a Common Krait. This snake is about 10 years old and is about 1 ft in length. This is as poisonous as Cobra.
To enter this snake society, you got to buy tickets. Rs. 10 for the adults and Rs. 5 for children up to 10 years. If you are carrying cameras, you got to shell out Rs. 25 for still and Rs. 100 for camcorder.
This article also published in Yekamber with bigger image sizes.
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