In Vinh Son, a small village in Northern Vietnam, many inhabitants make a living from snake breeding, a financial windfall that has made this town the first domestic producer of snakes. Cobras and rat snakes are mainly used to produce drugs and alcohol or to be served at gourmet restaurants. This lucrative trade was initiated in part by the president of the Association of Reptile Breeders, who launched his business in the late 1970s, encouraging friends and neighbors to follow his example. Now, at the age of 75, he wants to hand over the trade to the next generation.