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Zoo Celebrates the Release of Thousands of ‘Giant Spiders’
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Zoo Celebrates the Release of Thousands of ‘Giant Spiders’

Chester Zoo is looking at a monumental achievement.

The British zoo is celebrating 10 years since thousands of giant swamp spiders were released into the UK after the species nearly became extinct, Chester Zoo wrote. Facebook.

“Ten years ago we helped send THOUSANDS of GIANT SPIDERS back to the UK,” the zoo wrote in its celebratory post. “Fraft spiders were bred here at the zoo and we are extremely happy to report that there are now over 10,000 breeding females… and they have had their biggest mating season ever!”

The zoo continued its post by highlighting the size of the arachnids, noting that the spiders “can grow up to the size of your hand.”

Baby fish raft spiders in test tubes at Chester Zoo.

Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty


“To be honest, you are most welcome,” Chester Zoo playfully concluded.

once in august newsletterChester Zoo has detailed its efforts to save the marsh raft spider from extinction after “humans destroyed its wetland home”. First, the zoo’s expert team collected “hundreds of baby spiders” in separate test tubes to ensure their safety as part of a rescue program run in conjunction with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Baby fish raft spiders in test tubes at Chester Zoo.

Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty


From there, the zoo cared for the young spiders until they were “strong enough to return to their natural habitat.”

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RSPB site manager Tim Strudwick said recently: BBC About the importance of genre. “These spiders have an important role in maintaining the rich aquatic diversity found in the grazing ditches of our reserves,” he said.

Chester Zoo.

Christopher Furlong/Getty


The animal advocate also noted that female spiders are “really special to see.”

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Accordingly Discover WildlifeFen raft spiders tend to eat other spiders, damselflies, dragonfly larvae, and tadpoles. Spiders are brown with white or cream stripes along their bodies. Despite their frightening size, they are harmless to humans.

London Zoo He notes that the spiders are found only in East Anglia, Sussex and South Wales in England, with small populations also found in Central Europe.

International Union for Conservation of Nature currently considers the species to be “vulnerable” due to a decline in the spider’s habitat and adult population.