Emily Chan
In Australia, a captive snake has broken the world record for the most venom produced at one time. The snake in question, a coastal taipan named Cyclone, recently unleashed over 0.18 ounces of venom.
That is three times the average amount produced by a coastal taipan. It is also enough poison to kill 400 humans, according to the Australian Reptile Park, a zoo that is located in New South Wales, about 30 miles north of Sydney.
“Cyclone 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,” said Billy Collett, the operations manager at the Australian Reptile Park.
The coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) is one of the most venomous species of snake on Earth. They live in coastal regions in northern and eastern Australia. Coastal taipans have rectangular heads with large orange-brown eyes.
They can reach up to 6.6 feet in length. Their bodies vary in color, ranging from yellow and brown to almost black.
These snakes are best known for their aggression. They are extremely nervous and wary creatures, so even the slightest movement near them can trigger an attack.
Every year, their bites have caused fatalities. Previously, the record for the most venom produced was held by another coastal taipan at the same zoo named Whiplash, which produced 0.17 ounces of venom in a single extraction in 2022.
The Australian Reptile Park is the only zoo on the continent that “milks” taipans for their venom. Keepers extract venom from other deadly snakes as well, including eastern brown snakes, black snakes, tiger snakes, and death adders. Milking snakes is a dangerous process.
“The process of milking a venomous snake requires keepers to secure the…snake, sink its fangs into a large shot glass covered with plastic, and get it to deliver its lethal bite,” said Collett. Then, the venom is freeze-dried and sent to a vaccine manufacturer.
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