Scorpion farmers stung in the search for a quick buck
The promise of quick riches has encouraged brave entrepreneurs across the Middle East to keep deadly scorpions in their basements, but the scheme has a sting in its tail.
A trend for breeding scorpions for their venom, one of the most expensive substances in the world, has spread througout the region encouraged by news reports of huge profits. On social media in Iran, breeders have posted videos showing how to get the venom and a company runs schools teaching would-be breeders how to keep the scorpions.
In Turkey, Ali Yilmaz, 48, from the southern city of Sanliurfa, keeps 500 fat tail scorpions in his basement. He claims to sell them to a Turkish company so their venom can be milked for scientific research. He declined