The biggest male of the world’s most deadly spider species has been relocated to the Australian Reptile Park, where it can use its fangs to potentially save lives. The spider was found by a member of the public.

A statement released on Thursday by the Australian Reptile Park reported that the infamous Sydney funnel-web spider, nicknamed “Hercules”, was discovered on the Central Coast, approximately 50 miles north of Sydney. The spider was originally taken to a nearby hospital.

Experts on spiders from the nearby park collected it and quickly discovered that it was the biggest male specimen ever submitted by the public in Australia.

The spider’s measurement from foot to foot was 7.9 centimeters (3.1 inches), breaking the previous record of the park’s largest spider held by a male funnel-web named “Colossus” in 2018.

Sydney funnel-web spiders usually range in length from one to five centimeters, with females being generally larger than their male counterparts but not as deadly. 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.

The reptile park’s antivenom program will be supported by “Hercules.” Spiders that are safely captured and turned in by the public are “milked” to obtain their venom, which is necessary for creating antivenom that can save lives.

According to Emma Teni, a spider keeper at Australian Reptile Park, it is not uncommon for us to receive large funnel-web spiders as donations. However, receiving a male of this size is like winning the jackpot. Although female funnel-web spiders are venomous, males have been found to be even more deadly.

“Having a male funnel-web spider of this size in our collection could potentially result in a significant amount of venom, which would be extremely beneficial for our venom program at the park.”

Since its establishment in 1981, there have been no reported deaths in Australia due to bites from funnel-web spiders.

The recent wet and humid conditions on Australia’s east coast have created the perfect environment for funnel-web spiders to flourish.

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Source: wral.com