King Cobra Village population now suffering from drought

KOHN KAEN: -- The current drought situation in the northern and northeastern regions is becoming more severe, not only farmers could hardly find water for farming, but at least the population of a well-known northeast tourist attraction is suffering.

The Baan Sa-nga King Cobra Village in Nampong district of Khon Kaen province is now affected by drought.

The village is well known for the animal which villagers raise, king cobras. It is one of the popular tourist destinations in the Northeast of Thailand.

Now the drought has come to Baan Sa-nga King Cobra Village in Nam Pong as the village is lacking food to feed its attraction of over 400 king cobras.

The drought, which has come earlier than usual this year, has caused most of the natural water sources in the area to be dried up, which prompted the numbers of water snakes, the main food source for king cobras, to decrease in number as well.

Head of Baan Sa-nga King Cobra Village Club, Pang Phramuang, said local villagers usually catch small “Ngu Pla” water snakes to sell them as food for the cobras.

But since the end of last year, the water snakes have become scarce as the drought continued, and many canals and ponds dried up..

He said villagers now were delivering only 20-30 water snakes weekly at a price of 60 baht per kilogramme; a hike from the normal 30 baht per kilogramme.

The price increase led the village to purchase chicken legs to feed the cobras instead, as the price for water snakes were too steep.

More than 400 king cobras are being raised at the Baan Sa-nga village and the owners must now feed their snakes only once a week from their usual routine of feeding them 3-4 times daily, due to the higher costs, he added.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/king-cobra-village-population-now-suffering-drought


-- Thai PBS 2015-02-06

21-28 meals a week down to 1. how often do the king cobras feed in the wild

21-28 meals a week down to 1. how often do the king cobras feed in the wild

They can go for months on just 1 large feed, other snakes reptiles etc.

Once a week should be plenty..

I am sure the villagers know what they are doing.

A visit 6 years ago was somewhat disappointing to me. The highlight I happened to come across was a man teasing an aggressive python in an open field.

Off with their heads, I say!

I suggest that the commerce ministry investigate to prevent a rise in foodstuffs being supplied in this case.

This is obviously blatent market rigging and must be stamped out.

The balm they sell at the King Cobra village is the most effective I have found for taking the itchiness out of mozzie bites, I always make sure to stock up when I am in the area.

I must be allergic to mozzies or something, their bites itch for days. But one dollop of KC village balm usually does the trick, way more effective for me than tiger balm etc. But of course, YMMV.

Only 1 meal per week..... those snakes are going to be pissed off and hungry.....

I bet the shows are really exciting now.

Although admittedly, the shows are pretty exciting/dangerous already. I only went once, but it was really entertaining, as well as a bit scary, although we were pretty concerned about the little kids who were boxing with the snakes (Some of the snakes bit them too, although I think they only caught the baggy pants which the kids were wearing, so no harm done).

I can only assume though, that they have someone nearby ready to administer anti-venom if required.