THE latest arrival at Duchy College Stoke Climsland may only be seven inches long, but 'Fluffy', the Vietnamese Centipede, comes with a reputation as the most dangerous creature on campus.

This large, fast, aggressive and venomous species is most commonly found in the tropical areas of South East Asia and is now being used as a learning tool for animal management students.

Animal management technician Jo Challacombe said: 'Although Fluffy is one of our most dangerous creatures, he offers our students an excellent opportunity to learn more about his habitat, his habits and the precautions they need to take when handling creatures like this. We have a strict policy with Fluffy; he is for observation only and only our skilled and qualified technicians are allowed to open the tank where he lives.'

This species is incredibly difficult to breed in captivity and can generally only be handled if they have been handled since birth. Fluffy eats crickets, cockroaches and small mammals such as mice, which it can kill with its two 'forcipules' and a deadly dose of venom.

This type of centipede will typically live for around 10 years, although it can be shorter in captivity. It has 21 body segments; each segment has a pair of legs. A pair of modified legs known as forcipules can be found on its head which it uses to kill its prey or for defence as they have sharp claws that connect to venom glands.

Jo added: 'He is fascinating and fast; centipedes breathe through round or s-shaped openings located on the sides of their bodies and they have simple eyes with very poor vision so they rely heavily on touch or vibrations. Although Fluffy is venomous, we have taken all the appropriate precautions and believe that he is an excellent learning tool.'