Monstrous funnel-web spider ‘Herculese’ breaks record in Australia
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Hercules will contribute to the reptile park’s anti-venom programme They are predominantly found in forested areas and suburban gardens from Sydney, Australia’s most populous city, to the coastal city of Newcastle in the north and the Blue Mountains to the west. “We’re used to having pretty big funnel-web spiders donated to the park, however receiving a male funnel-web this big is like hitting the jackpot,” said Emma Teni, a spider keeper at Australian Reptile Park. “With having a male funnel-web this size in our collection, his venom output could be enormous, proving incredibly valuable for the park’s venom programme.” Since the programme’s inception in 1981, there has not been a fatality in Australia from a funnel-web spider bite. Recent rainy, humid weather along Australia’s east coast has provided the ideal conditions for funnel-web spiders to thrive.
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