A young Chinese woman from Guilin in Guangxi has achieved notable success in a rare and hazardous line of work.
Qin, born in 1995, has established herself in the field of breeding venomous snakes through diligence and skill. After completing her university education, she joined her father’s snake-breeding business. He had initially opposed the decision owing to the dangers associated with the work. In time, however, Qin proved her ability and expanded the enterprise into a large-scale farm.
She now tends to more than 60,000 snakes, many of them highly venomous species. Her farm houses over 50,000 ‘five-step’ poisonous snakes, including dangerous pit vipers, along with nearly 10,000 cobras.
Qin said the feeding and care of the snakes require strict caution, yet the work remains fraught with risk. In an interview, she remarked that she has grown accustomed to the environment, though a snake bite is an intensely painful experience affecting the entire body.
The farm supplies key materials for traditional Chinese medicine and scientific research, including dried snakes, snake oil, gall bladders and venom. Venom may be extracted from each snake twice a month, fetching between 40 and 200 yuan per gram depending on quality. Snake meat is also sold, with some large specimens priced above 1,000 yuan.
Reports indicated the business generates an annual income exceeding one million yuan, equivalent to approximately 146,000 US dollars.
Qin remains active on social media under the name “The Girl Who Collects Snake Venom”, where she shares her experiences with thousands of followers. Her videos detail the dangers, personal encounters and challenges of the profession.
