The Australian Reptile Park is renowned for its deadly and dangerous venom program, where keepers risk their lives daily to save thousands across the country. Recently, Park Manager Billy Collett was astounded to find that one of their Tony the Tiger snake had shattered a significant record. Tony broke the world record for the most raw venom extracted from a single yield by a tiger snake, a feat that highlights the incredible and often unpredictable nature of these reptiles.
The average for tiger snake venom extraction is about 60 milligrams, but Tony delivered an astonishing 123 milligrams! That’s over double the average yield.
“Tony is one of the most unpredictable snakes we have at the park and keeps our team on high alert during every milking session. His venom yields have consistently been impressive, but this latest record is truly remarkable,” said Billy Collett.
Mr. Collett emphasized the high stakes of working with venomous snakes, noting that the Reptile Park’s venom keepers have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, requiring unparalleled skill, confidence, and experience. “Tiger snakes are known for their potent venom and, despite being less aggressive than some species, their bites can be deadly if untreated. We’re the only facility in Australia that milks tiger snakes for antivenom production, so Tony’s record-breaking contribution could save someone’s life.”
The Australian Reptile Park is home to over 250 of the world’s most venomous snakes, all of which are milked fortnightly as part of Australia’s only venom program responsible for producing antivenom. The program extracts venom from five groups of Australia’s deadliest snakes, including Tiger Snakes, Taipans, Brown Snakes, Death Adders, and Black Snakes. Each year, over 2,000 snake bites are reported in Australia, with more than 300 people receiving lifesaving antivenom thanks to this program.
“The process of milking a venomous snake involves securing the deadly reptile, encouraging it to bite into a shot glass covered with plastic, and extracting its venom. The venom is then freeze-dried to remove moisture and sent to CSL Seqirus in Melbourne to produce antivenom,” explained Mr. Collett.
Tiger snakes, like all venomous snakes, play a vital role in Australia’s ecosystem, controlling populations of rodents, amphibians, and smaller reptiles to maintain balance.
Since the 1950s, the Australian Reptile Park has been the sole supplier of terrestrial snake venom for antivenom production. This delicate and dangerous work requires keepers to risk their lives daily, handling some of Australia’s most dangerous snakes with precision and care.
In late 2024, the park opened ‘The Weigel Venom Centre’, a world-class venom milking and processing facility where visitors can see the process up close. The new facility houses over 200 of the parks venomous snakes, as well as a vast interactive educational resource for all visitors to explore.