A Florida shop owner is working on a plan to make special face masks out of alligator and python skin.
Brian Wood owns All American Gator Products in Dania Beach, a store specializing in products made from the skin of alligators and pythons.
Wood is concerned by the rapid spread of the virus in Florida and hopes that his masks will help contain the spread in the state. His masks, especially those made of python skin, currently offer little protection against the virus, but Wood says that he is still improving the designs.
He intends integrating a filtration system and cloth fabrics into his designs to make them more effective at stopping the virus.
The masks sell for about $20 to $40. The skin of a three-metre python is enough to make up to 10 masks. With many people hoping to order up to 12 masks at a time, Wood says he will have to buy many more snakes from local hunters.
‘I want to take advantage of the supply we have here,’ he said, ‘not only of python skin, but also alligator and crocodile.’