Village of the Royal Cobra

BAN KHOK SANGA,THAILAND - APRIL: Mr Bom Lordthing tries to get a King Cobra out of the river during April 2010 in Ban Khok Sanga,Thailand. Ban Khok Sanga village, also known as the King Cobra village, the life of this small town with its population of 2000 inhabitants revolves around the imposing animal. It all began when Sanbut, the founder of the community tamed a cobra. Controlling such an animal is considered a talent. Considered as extremely powerful, it is particularly respected for its remarkable intelligence and is completely deaf, it uses it's senses to hunt or to protect itself.. In this village, every household has to have its own Royal Cobra, it is part of the family and lives in the house. The villagers have known for a longtime about the risks of extinction which threatens the species. The reasons,deforestation and the demands of certain consumers, in particular the Chinese who believe that cobra blood is an aphrodisiac.(Photo by Patrick Aventurier/Getty Images)