AssetID: 54601601
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Wild Fang! Deadly Mutant Snake With Three Highly Venomous Fangs Found And It Could Be 'Most Dangerous Death Adder Ever'
Caption: A rare mutant snake with three sharp fangs has been discovered, making its venomous bite even more dangerous. Zookeepers at the Australian Reptile Park were stunned when they found a third lethal fang on a death adder that has been in their care for seven years. Known as one of the most venomous land snakes on Earth, death adders produce a neurotoxic venom that can cause paralysis, respiratory failure, and ultimately death if left untreated. They’re also famous for having one of the fastest strikes in the animal kingdom, launching an attack in less than a tenth of a second. Before antivenom became available, around 60 per cent of death adder bites to humans were fatal. The extra fang was discovered tucked next to one of the other fangs on the left side of the snake’s mouth. This additional fang is fully functional and capable of producing venom, meaning it could inject more deadly fluid than other death adders. "I've seen plenty shedding fangs, they've got one hanging off the side there that eventually drops off, but to have one functioning as a third fang-like that, it is wild," said park manager Billy Collett. "Having that third fang actually means she delivers more venom. "She's got not two but three that come flying out, so we're getting massive yields from her." Snakes are milked for their venom to produce antivenom used to treat snakebites. Collett said the "bizarre" mutation could make this particular snake "the most dangerous death adder in the world". "It actually makes me a little bit more nervous milking this girl, because she's got three fangs," he added. "Death adders have got really flexible jaws in general and on that left-hand side there, you know having two fangs in that one spot, I get pretty nervous."
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story,Australian Reptile Park,death adder,third fang,venomous snake,venom milking program,lifesaving antivenom,Weigel Venom Centre,CSL Seqirus,rare mutation,deadly snake,venom extraction,snakebite treatment,reptile discovery,venom research,antivenom production,dangerous wildlife,snake venom potency,wildlife conservation.
PersonInImage: Billy Collett