About 900 illegally bred cobras safely transferred, 50 still missing
Updated: 2016-10-14 13:37
By China Daily(chinadaily.com.cn)
|
|||||||||
Some 900 illegally bred cobras in a private farm in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, have been transferred to a licensed wildlife farm in Taizhou, Jiangsu, Yangtse.com reported. Fifty of the reptiles are still missing.
Organized by Nanjing forestry authority, the 900 cobras were put into special containers and escorted to Taizhou by police on Thursday, to allay fear of people.
After that, the illegal farm and its surrounding areas were cordoned off for disinfection.
The operation of 50 cobras that escaped from the private farm in Luhe district of Nanjing is continuing. About 150 staff members are on the hunt for them in the surrounding areas.
The snakes disappeared between Aug 26 and 29, but it was only this week that the local people found out through social media. The illegal farm's owner had not reported the incident to authority until a cobra was found and killed in a villager's home on Saturday.
Citizens around the cobra farm are still in shock. Many residents living near the illegal farm have rushed to seal windows and doors with lime.
"Since we do not know where the missing cobras are, children and the elderly are all very afraid," said a villager surnamed Liu near the illegal farm while mixing the lime. "Experts said that sealing houses with lime can hold back those cobras."
Insiders said that although it is hard to get official permission from forestry authorities to breed snakes, high profits have driven some people to raise them secretly.
Not only cobras are welcomed by pharmaceuticals companies and restaurants, but also the cobra-soaked wine can be sold at a very high price in the market, according to a snake breeding base manager in Jiangning, Jiangsu province, who gave only her surname Chen.
"The wine made with cobras can be sold at 5,000 to 6,000 yuan ($744 to $892) per 500 gram, although the wine itself may be very cheap," Chen said.
Today's Top News
Chinese president arrives in Cambodia for state visit
China expresses condolences over death of Thai King
Thai King, world's longest-reigning monarch, dies
Q3 trade growth rebounds, pressure remains
Chinese shop big in London's West End
China-Russia joint missile defense drill set for 2017
Snowden appeals extradition lawsuit
Samsung may permanently halt Galaxy Note 7 sales
Hot Topics
Lunar probe , China growth forecasts, Emission rules get tougher, China seen through 'colored lens', International board,
Editor's Picks
Hollywood snaps up rock star's dog film |
Chinese people welcome dispossessed |
The can-do generation to the fore |
Riding the wave |
Leisure giants buoy cruise market |
She followed her heart |