SNAKE WINE

© HADCO

Wine is a fermented juice made by harvesting, crushing, and slowly fermenting fruits like plums, watermelons, peaches, blackberries, grapefruits, pears, pineapples, etc. The whole process of winemaking is known as vinification. Wine has been a mainstream drink of humankind for quite a long time now. Our attachment to this beverage originates from the awesome taste, its nutritious properties, and not to mention its inebriating effects. The oldest winery was founded in ancient Armenia and since then wine has managed to colonize the world except for Antarctica.

I recently found out that wine can be made with much more than just fruit and that weird ingredients are being used in wine making. Out of all the unusual wine ingredients, snake definitely tops the list. Snake wine is a strong alcoholic beverage created by mixing an entire snake in rice wine or grain liquor. I mean, how awful and creepy is that. A snake? Why can’t someone just drink a regular grape wine?

Well, the beverage was first recorded to have been devoured in China during the Western Zhou dynasty. According to the customs of China, snakes are believed to have significant therapeutic and invigorative properties. They are even believed to increase masculinity and treat ailments such as farsightedness, balding, back pain, and rheumatism. Although the tradition was started hundreds of years ago (1046–771 BC), it is still pretty much alive in 21st century China, some parts of Brazil, and other South-east Asian countries such as India(Goa), Vietnam, Japan (Okinawa).

So snake wine is categorized based on whether an entire snake or some parts of a snake are used in winemaking. Steeped is the one where alcohol is set up by putting a whole snake sometimes while still alive, inside a container of rice wine or some other sort of grain liquor. It is then left to soak for months so that the essence and venom from the snake is properly infused into the liquor. Usually the snakes get some company as sometimes other smaller snakes and scorpions are added as well. Once in a while, spices or herbs such as ginseng and wolfberries are added to enhance the flavor. The other type is mixed snake wine, where a live snake is freshly killed by slicing its belly and the body liquids of the snake are mixed at once with alcohol and devoured promptly as a shot.

https://heartforanimals.com/2015/12/snake-wine-bizarre-sex-aid/

The type of snakes used for winemaking are generally non venomous such as yellow–spotted keelbacks, which are stretched and pulled to make it take the shape of a hooded cobra. In case of venomous snakes, the proteins in the venom are denatured by alcohol, rendering the effects of the venom, making it harmless. The snakes are typically stored in some alluringly formed glass containers and lined on a side of the road close to some farmer markets and tourist hotspot, where they are sold as souvenirs. Among all the places selling snake wines, the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and the outskirts of Luang Prabang in Laos are the ones that are highly involved in the business.

Snake wine being sold as souvenirs
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/144115256797165064/

 But the question is, is it really necessary?

In the name of snake wine trade, a huge  number of snakes are murdered each year, drowned and injected in liquor to make a refreshment of questionable therapeutic advantages. Isn’t the whole process just cruel and remorseless? Suffocating the animals in liquor must have caused some level of enduring even to a creature like snake. Doesn’t it sound ethically off-base to use snakes as a cash producing business? Cobras, which are the most commonly used snakes are listed as vulnerable in the IUCN list. Some people falsely believe that it has medicinal values and others like the peculiarity factor. Yet, truly, it is just barbarous and cruel. 

It also possesses some potential hazards to humans. Though it is extremely rare, snakes can stay alive in the jars for months due to a process called hibernation. In 2013, there was an incident of a woman bitten by a snake that was kept in an improperly sealed jar for the last three months. Also, if the snakes are not properly cleaned before infusing with the alcohol, there is chances of parasite growth such as salmonella.

Snake wine may certainly sound fascinating and curious to some people. But it is clearly exploitation of snakes. Do you understand the importance of snakes in maintaining an ecosystem? A decline in snake population can have unintended outcomes such as increase in rodent population, which can in turn harm rice crops. We should refrain from buying these products and any other similar products, knowing the unverified medicinal use claims and the amount of unnecessary suffering it causes to these creatures. Though the snake wine industry is quite prominent with a large part of the market dependent on tourists, it has received less attention than other dealings such as pet, meat, and skin trades. Despite the booming industry and widespread commercialization, there is still a general lack of knowledge and awareness, which makes the hype surrounding snake wine nearly non–existent.

THE FINE LINE BETWEEN TIGER FASCINATION AND TIGER ABUSE

Tigers are my favorite animal. They are one of the most beautiful animals that were ever created on Earth. Whether the orange — black or the white striped, they have never failed to fascinate human beings with their beauty and charm. Tigers are greatly admired in Asia. In a country like South Korea, where tigers have now extinct, people still use tigers as symbols to signify superiority and are believed to exorcise evil spirits. 

In India, it is believed that the Hindu God and Goddesses use tiger as their 'vahana' which literally means a vehicle, but metaphorically represented as companions. In modern times, tigers have appeared in, “Winnie the pooh” stories, and in, “Calvin and Hobbs” comic strips. 

Tigers have always been a poetry weapon, fascinating poets since centuries. Like in the William Blake’s poem ‘The Tyger’, the poet talks about the imagination and skills behind creation of a magnificent creature such as tiger. Explaining human’s fascination with tigers, the renowned biologist, E. O. Wilson once wrote “We’re not just afraid of predators, we are transfixed by them, because fascination creates preparedness and preparedness, survival. In a deeply tribal sense, we love our monsters.” 

However, the United States has a disturbing tiger fascination. The country with the largest population of tiger is not India, Russia or Africa that currently occupy ancient ranges of the massive cats. It’s the United States with the largest tiger population. The private ownership of tigers in the United States is so vast and extensive that the estimated population of tigers there be higher than the total global tiger population. There are plenty of horror stories on how these big cats are kept as pets and brutally treated. Private owning of tigers include declawing and putting them in small pens and cages. Selling cubs has become a business in the United States. There are sellers who sell tigers, who then later butcher them  for parts or ranches where they are killed in hunts. Tigers in the western culture has been accounted to be used in gladiator battles and as mascots. 

Moreover, there is a blooming culture of tiger — selfie cruelty. Tigers are endlessly jabbed with metal sticks as endless stream of tourists take turns and pose with them for pictures. Tigers are man — handled, thrown from lap to lap, forcefully hugged and even sat on. These animals are forcefully tied, caged and even drugged for the sole purpose of human entertainment. Tourists or people in general need to realize that their once in a lifetime experience of being pictured with a tiger means a lifetime cruelty for the tiger.

A large fraction of tiger population is kept in captivity. These big cats are featured attractions in many circuses around the world, where they are often forcibly kept in tiny cages, their maternal bond is broken at the earliest stages of their lives, their basic social and physiological needs are denied. They are punished when disobeyed with food deprivation and are terrified with fire and sometimes these poor creatures get electrocuted. They are bound to perform against their will, to entertain the audiences. For young children, the circus is a magical place where they get to see and experience wild animals. But under the façade of harmless entertainment, patrons are unaware of what it takes to coerce these animals into performing elaborate tricks they see and the level of abuse these animals endure when the circus’ curtains come down. 

This is how people’s fascination for tiger has slowly turned into tiger abuse. Cruelty towards animals is neither a source of entertainment nor a fascination. Tigers are solitary animals. They have certain behavioral needs. They need to hunt their own prey, grow and live in the wild and enjoy their lives as much as any living being. I applaud and appreciate various Wildlife sanctuaries and Zoological parks for their substantial amount of involvement in the conservation of such animals, and their efforts in maintaining a wild habitat for them.

 Moreover, I support various non-profit organizations such as Panthera, WWF (Worldwide fund for nature), WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) for working towards protecting these animals and for their commitment to spread the truth about life of captive tigers and other animals. But local people should not just sit and wait for only the legal organizations to work. We as public can contribute in this cause, by either donating or volunteering at organizations. We can be responsible tourists. We can write letters to lawmakers, form organizations of our own. The Government can take up steps to strengthen Wildlife Protection Acts and Laws. 

Taking a few minutes to support this worthy cause not only will help the animals, it will also make you feel proud about standing up for something so important for the society.