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- The largest male specimen of the world’s most venomous arachnid, the Sydney funnel-web spider, has been relocated to the Australian Reptile Park.
- The spider will contribute to the reptile park’s antivenom program, as its venom can be extracted by means of milking.
- Recent wet and humid climate alongside Australia’s east coast has created preferrred situations for funnel-web spiders to thrive.
With fangs that would pierce a human fingernail, the largest male specimen of the world’s most venomous arachnid has discovered a brand new residence on the Australian Reptile Park the place it can assist save lives after a member of the general public found it by likelihood.
The lethal Sydney funnel-web spider dubbed “Hercules” was discovered on the Central Coast, about 50 miles north of Sydney, and was initially given to an area hospital, the Australian Reptile Park stated in a press release Thursday.
Spider specialists from the close by park retrieved it and shortly realized it was the largest male specimen ever acquired from the general public in Australia.
The spider measured 3.1 inches from foot to foot, surpassing the park’s earlier record-holder from 2018, the male funnel-web named “Colossus”.
A male Sydney funnel-web spider, the world’s most toxic arachnid, has been discovered and donated to the Australian Reptile Park, north of Sydney. (Caitlin Vine/Australian Reptile Park by way of AP)
Sydney funnel-web spiders often vary in size from one to 5 centimeters, with females being usually bigger than their male counterparts however not as lethal. They are predominantly present in forested areas and suburban gardens from Sydney, Australia’s most populous metropolis, to the coastal metropolis of Newcastle within the north and the Blue Mountains to the west.
“Hercules” will contribute to the reptile park’s antivenom program. Safely captured spiders handed in by the general public bear “milking” to extract venom, important for producing life-saving antivenom.
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“We’re used to having pretty big funnel-web spiders donated to the park, however receiving a male funnel-web this big is like hitting the jackpot,” stated Emma Teni, a spider keeper at Australian Reptile Park. “Whilst female funnel-web spiders are venomous, males have proven to be more lethal.
“With having a male funnel-web this dimension in our assortment, his venom output might be huge, proving extremely beneficial for the park’s venom program.”
Since the inception of the program in 1981, there has not been a fatality in Australia from a funnel-web spider bite.
Recent wet, humid climate alongside Australia’s east coast has supplied the perfect situations for funnel-web spiders to thrive.
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