Exploring “snake kingdom” in Mekong Delta

Established on October 27, 1977, Dong Tam Snake Farm (also known as the Center for Rearing, Research, and Medicinal Plants Cultivation under the Department of Logistics and Technical Services of Military Region 9) is located in Tan Thuan B hamlet, Binh Duc commune (Chau Thanh district, Tien Giang province), covering nearly 12 hectares. The farm is in charge of scientific research; snakebite treatment; cultivating and producing traditional medicine, combined with scientific and eco-tourism.

For nearly half a century, Dong Tam Snake Farm has been known for hundreds of snake species (over 400 species) for rearing and research purposes. In order to become a unique tourist destination attracting both international and domestic visitors, every day the staff take good care of the snakes so that they can adapt to the environment and grow in the best way.

The People's Army Newspaper would like to introduce some photos of the staff at Dong Tam Snake Farm.

Dong Tam Snake Farm has different types of snakes.

Each type of snakes is raised and cared for with a special method.

Apart from serving visitors, snake breeding is also applied in medicine for making medicinal treatments.

Non-commissioned Senior Captain Luong Minh Hai - a staff member feeding cobras

With 25 years of experience, Capt. Hai shares that the favorite food of cobras is various types of snakes such as vipers and Ptyas korros, etc.

Tourists excited to witness the queen cobra eating

Non-commissioned Captain Nguyen Danh Hieu - a staff who has been taking care of cobras for nearly 25 years

Capt. Hieu always works with the highest sense of responsibility.

According to Captains Hai and Hieu, apart from experience, understanding the snakes is essential for training them.

Visitors excited to see the extremely poisonous snakes performing

Staff of Dong Tam Snake Farm extracting venom to use as material for medicine production

Thanks to the serum extracted and processed from snake venom, Dong Tam Snake Farm successfully treats thousands of snakebite cases each year.

Non-commissioned Captain Nguyen Danh Hieu with the extracted snake venom

Tour guide Tran Tuyet Anh introduces snakes to international visitors.

Showing visitors how to care for krait snakes

A Russian tourist group guided on how to use Cobratoxan, a skin cream pain relief made from cobra venom

In addition to its main facility in Tien Giang, Dong Tam Snake Farm also has a second branch in Phu Quoc city, Kien Giang province.

Thanks to its uniqueness, Dong Tam Snake Farm attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year.

With the great efforts of its officers and staff, Dong Tam Snake Farm has been praised by the Military Region 9 Command and the People's Committee of Tien Giang province for its excellent task performance for many years.

Translated by Quynh Oanh