It’s bad news for arachnophobes, as a type of giant spider that can reach the size of a human had has seen a population boom.
The Fen Raft spider has been brought back from the brink of extinction after experts worked around the clock to help with conservation efforts. The arachnid one of the largest breeds in the UK, were previously in terminal decline.
Workers at Chester Zoo noticed this and worked on getting their numbers back up. A decade ago, they released thousands of the spiders across the country. They mainly hunt on the surface of water but have been known to make their way into homes.
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For those who don’t like spiders, you may want to be on your guard, as these creepy crawlies can grow quite large. Some reports say they can grow to around the size of a human’s hand.
Chester Zoo revealed some good news that species numbers are on the up, with around 10,000 breeding females across the country. This is an all-time high in the UK.
A statement said: “Ten years ago we helped release thousands of giant spiders back into the UK! The Fen Raft Spiders were bred right here at the zoo, and we’re super happy to report there are now more than 10,000 breeding females and they’ve just had the biggest mating season on record!”
The zoo added that although they look scary, the Fen Raft Spider is completely harmless to humans. They’re also said to play a vital role within healthy aquatic ecosystems.
Fen Rafts can be identified by their brow or clag ‘cigar-shaped’ body that contains a white, cream or yellow stripe down each side. They’re semi-aquatic and have long legs covered in tiny hairs.
The spiders are no doubt ferocious, as they use their hairs to detect vibrations on the water’s surface and attack their prey accordingly. Unlike common House Spiders, who weave webs to catch insects.
Their diet includes other spiders, damselflies, dragonfly larvae and pond skaters, and they will even catch fish and tadpoles.
Despite the good news, 15 years ago the species almost became extinct due to the destruction of wetlands, but now they’re gaining numbers Chester Zoo said: “Our team delicately hand fed tiny flies to each of the hundreds of spiderlings using tweezers, day in, day out, for weeks on end in our bio-secure breeding facility.
“Eventually, the young spiders grew strong enough to be returned to their natural habitat, which our partners worked to restore, and we released them in their hundreds!”
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