Weigel Venom Centre opening at Australian Reptile Park

Tim Faulkner discusses the opening of the Weigel Venom Centre opening at Australian Reptile Park.

Transcript

00:00Today is the grand opening of the Australian Reptile Park's new venom precinct.

00:08It's called the Weigel Venom Centre and it's named in honour of John and Robin Weigel who

00:13revolutionised the production of venom for antivenom in Australia.

00:18The Australian Reptile Park has provided venom for the production of antivenom since the

00:231950s.

00:24We've saved about 20,000 lives, roughly 300 every year.

00:29Anyone that's bitten by a snake or funnel-web spider in Australia that receives antivenom,

00:34Reptile Park had a part in that.

00:36The facility itself is an upgraded version of what were 30-year-old facilities.

00:41It's brand new, it's state-of-the-art, which is great for the animals in its care and of

00:46course the people extracting the venom for it to be safer than ever.

00:50But it also has a tourism component.

00:52Community brings the funnel-web spiders to us that we extract the venom from that makes

00:57antivenom.

00:58So for the community to be able to see and experience the history of venom, get a little

01:03insight into how venom production is achieved and delivered, that's a really exciting part

01:08that's brand new first ever.

01:11The Reptile Park is not your average zoo.

01:13We're all about family, fun, conservation, education and saving lives.

01:19This facility allows us to make a commitment for the next 50 years to save another 20,000

01:24lives.

01:26If you love or hate spiders, snakes, come and have a look.

01:31This is your first opportunity ever to experience something like this that you may very well

01:36love or may make your skin crawl.

01:38But all the same, it's great fun.