Editing Snake (section)

=== Trapping ===
The ''Irulas'' tribe of [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Tamil Nadu]] in India have been hunter-gatherers in the hot, dry plains forests, and have practiced the art of snake catching for generations. They have a vast knowledge of snakes in the field. They generally catch the snakes with the help of a simple stick. Earlier, the ''Irulas'' caught thousands of snakes for the snake-skin industry. After the complete ban of the snake-skin industry in India and protection of all snakes under the [[Wildlife Protection Act of 1972|Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972]], they formed the Irula Snake Catcher's Cooperative and switched to catching snakes for removal of venom, releasing them in the wild after four extractions. The venom so collected is used for producing life-saving antivenom, biomedical research and for other medicinal products.<ref name="Whitaker et al.">{{cite book |last1=Whitaker |first1=Romulus |last2=Captain |first2=Ashok |title=Snakes of India: The Field Guide |date=2004 |pages=11–13}}</ref> The ''Irulas'' are also known to eat some of the snakes they catch and are very useful in rat extermination in the villages.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

Despite the existence of snake charmers, there have also been professional snake catchers or [[Wrangler (profession)|wranglers]]. Modern-day snake trapping involves a [[herpetologist]] using a long stick with a V-shaped end. Some television show hosts, like [[Bill Haast]], [[Austin Stevens]], [[Steve Irwin]], and [[Jeff Corwin]], prefer to catch them using bare hands.{{Cn|date=November 2024}}
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At least one tribe uses a specialized form of snake catching as a rite of passage to manhood.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} The young man of interest will wrap his leg heavily in some type of cloth all the way to the inseam. He will then stick his leg in a burrow containing a large python, typically a [[Python reticulatus|reticulated python]]. After the snake swallows most of his leg, several other members of the tribe will pull him out of the hole along with the snake. The snake is then killed and the man's leg removed from the snake. These snakes can be over {{convert|7|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} long, and it is possible for the man to have his leg dislocated. The scent of a prey animal may be used to help convince the snake to swallow the leg. Snakes have a single-tract digestive system, but the digestion process is actually much slower.

Commented this paragraph out till the tribe is identified and a reference given.
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