This week during peak funnel web season, the Australian Reptile Park received the BIGGEST male funnel web spider they have ever had donated to the antivenom program, outdoing a previous record set this time last year. Measuring in at a whopping 9.2cm, this newest arrival dubbed ‘Hemsworth’, has fangs that could pierce through a human fingernail.
The behemoth of a spider was handed in at one of the Park’s spider drop-off locations in Newcastle. Upon collection, the Spiders team at the Reptile Park realised that this is the new biggest male funnel-web spider they’d received. Dubbed ‘Hemsworth’ after the famous Aussie brothers, this spider has beaten its predecessor, ‘Hercules’, who was named the Park’s largest male funnel-web spider handed in just last year.
The Australian Reptile Park regularly encourages members of the public to SAFELY catch funnel web spiders for the Park’s antivenom program. Spiders that have been handed in participate in the vital lifesaving milking program. The venom milked by staff is turned into antivenom which saves up to 300 lives per year. The Australian Reptile Park is the only facility in Australia that milks funnel web spiders for their raw venom to be made into lifesaving antivenom.
Commenting on the hand in, Spider Keeper Emma Teni said, “We’re used to having pretty big funnel-web spiders donated to the Park but receiving a male funnel-web this big is like hitting the jackpot.”
"While female funnel web spiders are venomous, males are known to be far more dangerous. Having a male funnel web of this size in our collection means his venom output could be substantial, making him an invaluable asset to the Park’s venom program."
Emma also aptly named the spider ‘Hemsworth’ explaining “this spider was just so big in comparison to his peers it reminded me of Chris Hemsworth and his brothers, and how they tower over the average person. Now I get to say I go to work with a Hemsworth everyday.”
Speaking about the drop off points, Mrs Teni stateed, “People can bring any funnel web spiders they have collected directly to the Reptile Park. If visiting the park isn't an option, we have designated drop-off zones across Sydney, the Central Coast, and Newcastle. Each drop-off location is equipped with a spider safety kit to securely contain the spiders until our staff from the Australian Reptile Park collects them weekly.”
The Australian Reptile Park relies on public donations of funnel web spiders to keep venom supplies ongoing. The funnel web spiders are milked weekly for their raw venom that is sent off to Seqirus in Melbourne to be made into lifesaving antivenom. Since the inception of the program in 1981, the program has saved countless lives and thankfully, there has not been a single death from a Funnel-web spider bite since the introduction of the program.
There are a multitude of participating spider drop off locations across the Greater Sydney Region. To find your nearest location, head to: https://www.reptilepark.com.au/animals-at-the-australian-reptile-park/venom-program/spider-drop-off-points/
