Question

Alligators and snakes are hunted for their _____.
(a) Skins
(b) Shells
(c) Tusks
(d) Fur

Answer 1

Hint: Reptiles like snakes and crocodiles are killed in order to use their body parts to produce ointments, and drugs to cure eczema, skin ulcers, psoriasis, scabies, etc. They are devoid of fur or tusks.

Complete answer:
Alligators and snakes are hunted for their skins. The poachers may also use ballot and chisel to rip their skin which can lead to the death of the alligator.
Snakes are elongated, legless, carnivorous reptiles. Like all other scaled reptiles, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates who are covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes possess skulls with more joints than their lizard ancestors that enable them to swallow prey much larger in size of their heads. To accommodate in their narrow bodies, the paired organs (such as kidneys) appear one in front of the other instead of side by side, and most of them have only one functional lung.
An alligator is a crocodilian that belongs to the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. The two living species of alligator are the American alligator and the Chinese alligator. Additionally, several extinct species of alligators are also known from their fossil remains. They are raised commercially for their meat and their skin. Their skin is tanned and then is used for the manufacture of luggage, handbags, shoes, belts, and many other leather items. Alligators also provide economic benefits to the country through the ecotourism industry.
So, the correct answer is ‘Skins'.

Note: The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 completely banned the snake-skin industry in India. They also formed the Irula Snake Catchers Cooperative and switched to catching snakes for removal of venom only. The venom so collected is used for producing life-saving antivenom, biomedical research and for other medicinal products The Irulas are also known to eat some of the snakes they catch and the snakes are also very useful in rat extermination in the villages.