New lure at snake temple in Penang

BY CHOONG KWEE KIM

PENANG: The Snake Temple in Bayan Lepas will feature a new attraction – a snake exhibition-cum-breeding centre – come October to attract more tourists and educate the public about snakes. 

Datuk Lim Eng Soon, chairman of the Hokkien Kongsi, Penang – which manages the temple – said local snake breeder and hobbyist Joe Teoh had been roped in to set up the RM100,000 centre on a 2,601sq metre piece of land.  

He said the centre would also hold daily snake shows by two snake charmers. 

“Tourists have complained that the famous Snake Temple does not have enough snakes now,” Lim said. 

He added that, previously, before the area around the temple was developed, snakes from the wild went to the temple themselves and could be found in almost every nook and corner.  

(From left) Teoh handling an albino python while Hokkien Kongsi trustee Lim Cheng Chuan holds smaller snakes and kongsi secretary Cheah Cheang Ean several Temple Vipers in front of the Penang Snake Temple recently. Behind them is Eng Soon.

“The new exhibition centre will feature various species of snakes and will also be a place for the breeding of vipers for the temple,” Lim said.  

The temple now has only about 30 venomous vipers of the species Tropidolaemus wagleri, also known worldwide as the Temple Viper because of the mystery of the reptiles' “pilgrimage” to the 200-year-old temple. 

In addition, a professional photographer based at the temple has about 20 Temple Vipers which have been de-fanged for handling by tourists. 

The temple, completed in 1805, was dedicated to the memory of a revered Buddhist priest and healer Chor Soo Kong. 

Teoh said he would set up vivariums to exhibit more than 50 species of snakes from his private collection – 70% of which are local snakes – for the purpose of educating the public. 

Among the local snakes to be exhibited are vipers, king cobras, a rare albino cobra, pythons – including two albinos, white snakes, tree snakes, racers, kraits, water snakes, rare tentacled snakes, cat’s-eye snakes, paradise tree snakes and golden tree snakes. 

The snakes from other countries include a baby anaconda, corn snakes and king snakes.