These spiders are being bred to research antidotes essential for treating venomous spider bites in Australia.
The footage of over 100 funnel-web baby spiders crawling out of an egg sac has gone viral.
The spiders hatched earlier this week.
🕷️ These spiders are being bred to research antidotes essential for treating venomous spider bites in Australia | https://t.co/0lDxTB7h0e pic.twitter.com/eBwv9eXwwJ
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) October 11, 2019
They mark the first time the Australian Reptile Park has bred funnel-webs in captivity at their research facility.
"We actually have ten egg sacs in captivity at the moment - more should be coming in over the coming months, and all of the young from that will be raised up for our anti-venom programme in the future," the park's head of spiders, Kane Christensen, said.
Native to Australia, the funnel-web spiders are usually found in cool and humid areas.
Its venom can kill adult humans within 15 minutes if untreated.
