Recently, the floodwaters in Hengzhou, Guangxi have receded, but venomous snakes continue to appear, prompting some skilled individuals from the community to voluntarily engage in snake-catching activities. According to a rescue worker, he alone is able to catch more than 20 venomous snakes each day.
Peoples’ attention has been drawn to reports that Chen Peixin, a member of the Dawn Rescue Team from Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, has volunteered for the second time to go to Hengzhou for snake-catching activities. Previously, he had to return for rest due to an injury to his hand, but once his condition stabilized, he returned to help eliminate the snake threat.
Claiming to catch “more than 20 venomous snakes barehanded” every day, he mentioned that the recent spectacled cobras caught differ significantly from the local snake species, suggesting a high probability that these snakes escaped from breeding farms.
He explained that snakes avoid direct sunlight and tend to hide in dry places inside houses, often found in piles of debris, wooden planks, and gaps in bricks. “I advise the public to pay attention to safety when clearing debris,” he said, adding that he will continue to visit and inspect the area to assist local residents in removing the snake threat.
On July 6, Hengzhou City in Guangxi experienced continuous heavy rainfall, leading to multiple villages being inundated by floodwaters. A snake farm in Dengwei Village, Yunbiao Town, Hengzhou City was destroyed by the floods, causing a large number of farmed snakes, including venomous spectacled cobras, king snakes, and harmless water snakes to escape with the floodwaters. This resulted in several villagers being bitten by snakes, leading to one fatality and drawing widespread attention.
Guangxi is the largest province in China for snake farming. According to a report by the Guangxi Daily in 2020, the snake stock in Guangxi alone reached nearly 20 million. Presently, the snake stock in Guangxi has exceeded 30 million, accounting for approximately 80% of the national total. Hengzhou is one of the three major snake-farming counties in Guangxi, with licensed snake farms previously covering 13 townships.