Residents of Sydney have been asked to safely capture the funnel-web spider, one of Australia's most venomous creatures, as part of an effort to produce life-saving anti-venom.
The Australian Reptile Park in New South Wales, the country's sole supplier of funnel-web spider anti-venom, has launched its annual call for public assistance during the spiders' breeding season. The campaign, which begins every November, aims to secure enough spiders to meet the growing demand for anti-venom.
“Male funnel-web spiders have short lifespans, and with approximately 150 spiders required to make just one vial of anti-venom, we need the public's help to ensure we have enough venom to meet demand,” CNN quoted Emma Teni, the zoo's spider keeper, as saying.
Funnel-web spiders, particularly the species found in and around Sydney, are famous for their highly potent venom, which acts quickly and can be fatal without treatment.
Jake Meney, the reptile and spider keeper at the zoo, said, “The Australian Reptile Park is the only place in Australia that milks funnel web spider venom to make into antivenom. Before the anti-venom was developed 33 years ago, there were 13 recorded deaths in NSW by funnel-webs, but there have been zero fatalities since the development of the anti-venom in 1981.”
The spiders are commonly found in cool, damp locations such as gardens, dense foliage, or even inside homes — hiding in places like shoes, laundry piles and swimming pools, said the CNN report. The zoo urges residents who encounter these spiders to capture them safely and deliver them to designated drop-off points or the Australian Reptile Park itself.
How to safely capture a funnel-web spider?
To help the public, the zoo has posted instructional videos on its social media platforms. In one demonstration, Ms Teni advises using a long spoon to carefully guide the spider and its egg sac into a secure jar.
“We want to encourage the spider with her egg sac into the jar in one movement, trying not to make her so angry that she destroys the egg sac,” Ms Teni said.
Watch the video here:
The spider egg sacs are particularly valuable, containing 150 to 200 spiderlings each, which can later be used in anti-venom production.
Public participation in the initiative was also encouraged by those whose lives had been saved by the anti-venom. One such resident, Nicole Webber, commenting on the park's Facebook post, shared her gratitude, saying, “ARP and your Antivenine program saved my life in 1994. I can only thank you all. Please do support the program with safely captured spiders and finance.”
Karen Wright, another resident, also expressed her appreciation, saying her son's life was saved in 1995 thanks to the anti-venom programme. “The antivene saved my son, Matthew's life. I am so grateful this program was in place in 1995. At work years ago, we would collect spiders from the public and send them down. I am so happy to hear this is happening at present. More lives will be saved,” wrote Wright.
The CNN report said the public should drop off the spiders at the Australian Reptile Park or at one of the collection locations nearby once they have been securely placed in a container.
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