Photo: Australian Reptile Park.
Australia is home to one of the deadliest snakes in the world—an animal so dangerous that its venomous saliva can kill up to 400 people with just one bite.
This snake is known as Cyclone, a type of coastal taipan residing in the Australia Zoo. Cyclone is part of a critical research program on lethal venom that aims to save lives across Australia.
The facility where Cyclone lives is the only state-run establishment in the country that milks venom for antivenom production. This research is essential for developing treatments for people who have been bitten by snakes, as reported by News.com on Sunday, July 21, 2024.
"The Coastal Taipan is not the most venomous snake in the world, but they are known globally for their aggressiveness, and their bites have resulted in fatalities each year," said Billy Collett, the Operations Manager of the Australia Zoo.
According to Collett, Cyclone is considered one of the most dangerous snakes in the facility due to its unpredictable movements, which necessitate constant vigilance from the staff.
"Especially since we all know what it is capable of with its continuously large venom production," he added.
The research team, led by Collett, undertakes a perilous task: extracting venom from Cyclone. They coax the snake into biting a plastic layer covering a glass lip, encouraging the snake to release its toxic saliva.
In previous extractions, the team managed to obtain 4.9 grams of venom. However, Cyclone is capable of producing a slightly more significant amount—5.2 grams, which is three times the average yield for coastal taipans.
The Australia Zoo is home to over 250 of the most venomous snakes in the world. This program extracts venom from five of the deadliest snake species in Australia, which include the taipan, brown snake, tiger snake, death adder (Acanthophis), and black snake.
“The venom is then freeze-dried to remove all moisture content and shipped to CSL Seqirus in Melbourne for antivenom production,” Collett concluded.
This ongoing research not only sheds light on venomous snake behavior but also plays a crucial role in preventing venom-related deaths, reinforcing the significance of understanding these deadly reptiles in Australia.
