Record breaking Taipan venom yield at Australian Reptile Park

The Australian Reptile Park has broken the world record for extracting the most raw venom from a single yield recorded by the infamous Coastal Taipan.

Venom Supervisor, Zac Bower, found their Tapian, Whiplash, had produced an impressive 3.32 grams - beating his own previous record of 3.1027 grams - enough to kill over 100 humans and well above the average yield of 1.8 grams per milking. 

The Australian Reptile Park is renowned for its deadly and dangerous venom program, in which keepers risk their lives daily for the sake of saving thousands of lives across the country.

Bower notes the Central Coast wildlife sanctuary’s venom keepers have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, requiring confidence, nerves of steel and a lot of experience and adds “Coastal Taipans are one of the most venomous snakes in the world, ranking number three on the list. They are known worldwide for their aggression and bites have caused fatalities every year. We are the only facility in Australia that milks taipans for the production of antivenom so Whiplash’s record-breaking contribution will go towards saving someone’s life.”

Australian Reptile Park Operations Manager, Scott Ryan notes “Whiplash is one of our most dangerous snakes here at the park and is known for being quite unpredictable and keeping us all on our toes - especially as we all know what he is capable of with his continuously large venom yields.”

The Australian Reptile Park houses over 250 of the world’s most venomous snakes, which are milked fortnightly as part of Australia’s only venom program that is responsible for the production of antivenom.

Bower adds “the Australian Reptile Park’s venom program extracts venom from five groups of Australia’s deadliest snakes including Taipans, Brown Snakes, Tiger Snakes, Death Adders and Black Snakes. Every year there are 2,000 reported snake bites in Australia, with over 300 receiving antivenom and having their lives saved by the program.

 “The process of milking a venomous snake requires keepers to secure the three-metre long deadly snake, sink its fangs into a large shot glass covered with plastic and get it to deliver its lethal bite.  The venom is then freeze-dried to remove all moisture and delivered to Seqiris in Melbourne to produce the antivenom - I milk thousands of snakes a year, and I know a whopper when I see one."

Taipans are essential within Australia’s ecosystem, as are all venomous snakes, as they keep other animals like rodents, amphibians, and smaller reptile species in check and maintaining balance.

More information at www.reptilepark.com.au