The Grace Wiley piece was amazing... I never knew. Thanks.
She “trained” her collection of crocodiles and alligators so each one would recognize their name and come on call to be fed.
She “tamed” cobras by holding out her extended hand, palm open to receive the cobra's strike. Cobras, unlike vipers, have a smaller gape and are incapable of biting a large flat surface like an open palm. By repeating this again and again with individual cobras she habituated them to the fact that a) trying to bite her wasn't accomplishing anything, and b) she was not a physical threat. She was able to do this as a cobra's strike trajectory can be accurately anticipated by a person familiar with the way they move. They rear up and always strike down in a predictable arching trajectory. Vipers and pit-vipers on the other hand, can adjust their strikes to hit targets at varying ranges.
Among reptiles, crocodilians and cobras have the highest levels of intelligence. They can learn, and alter their behavior patterns with learning.
The real reason Wylie died was when that story was being written, the flash of the camera was unexpected and she drew her palm back from proper alignment with the strike and the cobra bit her between her fingers.
Needless to say, I would not advise that anyone attempt to emulate Ms. Wylie's achievements. They would be gambling with their lives - especially with the cobras and large crocodilians.