What would you do if you found a sac full of baby funnel web spiders in your backyard?
A NSW resident brought a sac of baby funnel web spiders to a local reptile park. Photo: The Australia Reptile Park
While screaming might be the first option for some, you could also take it to your local wildlife park.
A local resident from Matcham on the New South Wales Central Coast went with the second option, delighting his local reptile park with the find.
It turns out the venom from deadly Sydney funnel webs is highly sought after.
"We can only use the male Sydney funnel web's venom to make the anti-venom," Australian Reptile Park's head of spiders Kane Christensen said.
Mr Christensen said while funnel webs can be found around Australia, the spiders change depending on the region - and so does their venom.
The young spiders will be kept at the park until they have grown and then they will be milked for their venom.
The venom is sent away before it is injected into rabbits.
Once the rabbits are immune, their plasma is then used to create an anti-venom drug for humans.
Mr Christensen said while funnel webs like to hide and burrow in discreet places, people are more likely to spot the spiders at this time of year.
"It's peak breeding season right now as males wander searching for females," Mr Christensen said.
- ABC
