Archive · 1 Jun 2025
Australian Spiders and Snakes: Turning Deadly Creatures into Life-Savers
In Australia, some of the world's deadliest spiders and snakes are helping save lives!
The Australian Reptile Park collects venom from Sydney funnel-web spiders and snakes to create antivenom.
This medicine is used to treat bites, preventing deaths.
People help by safely catching spiders and delivering them.
Scientists then extract the venom, and use it to create antivenom, which is given to people who have been bitten.
Thanks to this program, Australia has virtually eliminated deaths from spider bites and greatly reduced deaths from snake bites, making this a success for medical science.
The Australian Reptile Park collects venom from Sydney funnel-web spiders to produce life-saving antivenom.
The antivenom program, operational since 1981, has prevented any fatalities from spider bites.
The program relies on the public to safely collect and deliver spiders to locations like vet clinics.
Antivenom is produced from the venom of snakes and spiders and is administered to treat bites.
The antivenom is distributed throughout Australia and Papua New Guinea, as well as to the Navy and cargo ships.
- Who
- The Australian Reptile Park, Emma Teni (Spider Milker), Charlie Simpson (homeowner).
- What
- Australia's dangerous animals are essential to medicine for producing life-saving antivenom against spider and snake bites.
- When
- The antivenom program began in 1981; snake venom collection since the 1950s.
- Where
- Australia and CSL Seqirus lab in Melbourne, Papua New Guinea.
- Why
- To create antivenom, saving lives from deadly spider and snake bites.
- Country
- Australia
- Sydney Funnel-Web Spider Antivenom Program Start
- Since 1981
- Antivenom Vials Produced Annually
- 7,000
- Annual Deaths from Snake Bites in Australia
- 1 to 4
- Antivenom Shelf Life
- 36 months
- Spiders Milked Per Day
- Up to 80