In honor of the Year of the Snake (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01/24/when-is-chinese-new-year-2013_n_2506750.html), one zoo owner in the Philippines is doing something unusual to celebrate the beginning of the Chinese New Year: He's welcoming snakes into his bed.
Malabon Zoo (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Malabon-Zoo/133329646741046) owner Emmanuel Tangco cuddled up to several snakes (http://metro.co.uk/2013/02/03/zoo-owner-sleeps-covered-in-reptiles-ahead-of-chinese-year-of-the-snake-3379018/) for a series of Reuters photos taken on Feb. 3.
In one photo (below), Tangco is seen reading a book in bed while the snakes slither (http://in.news.yahoo.com/photos/zoo-owner-emmanuel-tangco-reads-book-snakes-bedroom-photo-110528653.html) over his body.
(http://i.huffpost.com/gen/974055/thumbs/o-EMMANUEL-TANGCO-SNAKES-570.jpg?15)
Zoo owner Emmanuel Tangco reads a book to his snakes in his bedroom in Malabon, Metro Manila, on Feb. 3, 2013. (Reuters/Erik De Castro)
According to the Chinese calendar, the Year of the Snake begins on Feb. 10 (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01/24/when-is-chinese-new-year-2013_n_2506750.html), during the lunar new year, and lasts through Jan. 30, 2014.
Malabon Zoo recently added 50 snakes to its collection (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/12/28/12/malabon-zoo-adds-50-snakes-collection) in preparation for the Year of the Snake, Philippine news outlet ABS-CBN News reports.
Surprisingly, this is not the first time a man has shared sleeping quarters with snakes.
In 2010, snake enthusiast David Jones claimed a world record after sharing a room with 40 venomous snakes for 114 days (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-susintercourse-11129938). However, a nighttime "minder" kept the snakes a safe distance from Jones' bed (http://worldblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2010/07/07/4624670-one-man-one-room-40-venomous-snakes) while the daredevil slept.
Tangco was likely not in as much danger, since the snakes pictured, including at least one albino Burmese python (http://metro.co.uk/2013/02/03/zoo-owner-sleeps-covered-in-reptiles-ahead-of-chinese-year-of-the-snake-3379018/), are not venomous. The Burmese python (http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/burmese-python/), a subspecies of the Indian python, kills its prey by squeezing it, rather than with a poisonous bite, according to National Geographic.
The pythons have caused quite a stir recently in Florida, as hundreds of hunters have been tapped to kill the invasive species (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/13/python-challenge-800-hunt_n_2466900.html), which preys on native creatures in the region. According to the World Wildlife Fund, loose Burmese pythons (http://worldwildlife.org/threats/illegal-wildlife-trade) are considered "major pests" in the Florida Everglades.
Via: HuffingtonPost