A funnel web spider – fittingly named Colossus – has been handed in to the Australian Reptile Park. And it’s the biggest the park has ever seen.
The arachnid, which was found on the Central Coast in New South Wales, measures a full 7.8 centimetres across, and packs enough venom to kill a fully-grown adult in just 15 minutes.
So much venom, in fact, that its fangs are constantly dripping when it rears up at Park staff.
Colossus, a giant funnel web donated to the Australian Reptile Park, is the biggest the wildlife sanctuary has ever seen – measuring 7.8 centimetres from one foot to another
Colossus was donated to the wildlife sanctuary as part of their anti-venom program, which involves staff collecting samples of snake and spider venom to be used in lab research and the manufacture of life-saving anti-venom.
Since the funnel web anti-venom was developed in 1981, not a single person has been killed by one when receiving treatment. However the bite can be deadly if medical help is not sought.
The program involves a handful of highly trained staff milking the spiders of their venom and sending it to Seqirus, a vaccine manufacturer in Melbourne.
The giant arachnid has enough venom to kill a fully-grown adult in 15 minutes – which is good news for the Park’s venom program, which milks spiders to develop life-saving anti-venoms
Last year the milking team completed 3,500 milkings, Yahoo7 reports – but they need about 5,000 to sufficiently build up supply.
Head curator of the Australian Reptile Park, Liz Gabriel, warns that this time of year is peak season for funnel webs – particularly in such areas as the laundry, or anywhere that’s humid and damp.
‘Weather we’ve seen over the last week is particularly attractive to funnel webs,’ she said.
‘They love damp environments so the rain will make them wander about more.’
Gabriel also offers some advice for anyone who is bitten by a funnel web.
‘Stay as calm as possible and apply the correct first aid, which is a pressure immobilisation bandage,’ she said. ‘And get to hospital as fast as you possibly can’.