Young Egyptian finds fortune in scorpions

A gram of scorpion venom can fetch $10,000

Last updated: December 08, 2020 | 14:58

Reuters and Compiled by Christian Borbon, Senior Web Editor

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Several years ago, a young Egyptian man abandoned his degree in archaeology to hunt scorpions in the country's deserts and shores, extracting their venom for medicinal use.

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At just 25 years old, Mohamed Hamdy Boshta is now the owner of the Cairo Venom Company.

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Cairo Venom Company houses 80,000 scorpions in various farms across Egypt as well as a range of snakes, also kept for their venom.

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Caught using a coloured UV light, the scorpions are exposed to a tiny electric current to stimulate the release of the venom, one gram of which can produce between 20,000 and 50,000 doses of antivenom.

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One gram of which can produce between 20,000 and 50,000 doses of antivenom.

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A gram of scorpion venom can fetch $10,000 and Boshta exports it to Europe and the U.S. where it is used to make antivenom and a range of other medicines, including for conditions such as hypertension.

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Mohamed Hamdy Boshta holds a scorpion at his company Cairo Venom Company.

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Mohamed Hamdy Boshta shows the venom of a scorpion.

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Mohamed Hamdy Boshta checks on scorpions at his company Cairo Venom Company.

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Mohamed Hamdy Boshta shows scorpions that he hunted on Egyptian deserts and shores.