AssetID: 54419879
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Biggest Funnel Web Spider Ever Found Is Named After The Hemsworth Brothers
Caption: A massive funnel web spider, believed to be the largest ever discovered, has been named after the Hemsworth brothers. During peak funnel web season this week, the Australian Reptile Park received its largest male funnel web spider donation to date for the antivenom program, surpassing last year’s record. Measuring a staggering 9.2cm, the spider, nicknamed ‘Hemsworth,’ boasts fangs strong enough to pierce a human fingernail. The colossal spider was delivered to a spider drop-off point in Newcastle. Upon inspection, the Reptile Park’s spider team confirmed it as the largest male funnel web they’ve ever received. Named ‘Hemsworth’ after the iconic Australian siblings, the spider has overtaken the previous record-holder, ‘Hercules,’ who earned the title last year. The Australian Reptile Park urges the public to SAFELY capture funnel web spiders for their antivenom program. Donated spiders are used in the lifesaving milking process, where venom is extracted and turned into antivenom capable of saving up to 300 lives annually. The Park is the only facility in Australia that collects venom from funnel web spiders for this purpose. Spider Keeper Emma Teni shared her excitement, saying, “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.” She emphasised the significance of this particular spider: “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 explained the choice of name, saying, “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 every day.” Highlighting the Park’s drop-off program, Emma added, “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 Park depends on public contributions to maintain its venom supplies. Funnel web spiders are milked weekly, with their venom sent to Seqirus in Melbourne to produce lifesaving antivenom. Since the program began in 1981, countless lives have been saved, and there have been no recorded deaths from funnel web spider bites since its introduction.
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story,Australian Reptile Park, biggest ever funnel web spider, Hemsworth
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