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Bangkok's fire department catches more snakes than it extinguishes fires. During the rainy season the reptiles often hide in peoples' homes. With snakes ranging from harmless to highly poisonous, fireman Sontaya Wangjam never knows what to expect.

The Thai capital Bangkok has been growing tremendously in recent years. But this means the natural habitat of some 200 different snake species indigenous to the region is slowly disappearing. Sontaya Wangjam’s job is to catch some of the most venomous of them. The snake catcher has thick, protective gloves and a variety of traps to ensnare the reptiles. Though carnivorous snakes also play an important role in keeping Bangkok’s rat population under control. Florian Nusch reports.