KINGSVILLE, Texas — Texas A&M University-Kingsville received a grant for $2.7 million that will go toward improving the campus serpentarium where they study snakes.
According to head director Elda Sanchez, she was thrilled to learn they received a grant from the National Institute of Health.
"For the purpose of biomedical research for the discovery of drugs and also for the production and improvement of anti-venom," Sanchez said.
The research center can hold 600 snakes, and they house about 34 different species from as far as Africa. The majority of snakes found in the United States and others in back yards.
"We also have the famous Texas coral snake. As you can see, it's red next to yellow. Kill a fellow," Sanchez said.
The grant will fund the serpentarium for a span of five years.
According to Sanchez, their center the only federally funded viper research center in the nation.
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