They were threatened with extinction, but Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom has reversed the trend. “There are now over 10,000 breeding females and they have just experienced the largest breeding season on record!”
Spiders are rarely appreciated: they are scary, and even when we muster up the courage to chase them away or crush them, we are often paralyzed. And yet, they play an essential role in nature… including at home, since they allow all small creatures to be captured. But the bigger they are, the more they scare us…
In fact, in the United Kingdom, giant spiders have been multiplying recently. With their long legs and the size of a palm (7 to 8 cm), they were, just a few years ago, on the verge of extinction in the country. In a press release dated November 1, 2024, Chester Zoo said it had saved the species, called “raft spider” which is thriving today with nearly 10,000 breeding females. “Ten years ago, we helped release thousands of giant spiders into the UK! Raft spiders were bred right here at the zoo, and we’re very excited to announce that there are now more than 10,000 breeding females and they have just experienced the greatest breeding season ever recorded!“, welcomes the zoo which took care to feed hundreds of baby spiders by hand to achieve this result.
Should we be afraid of this profusion of spiders capable of walking on water and diving to catch their prey? First of all, specialists point out that the raft spider is essential to biodiversity. In particular, it helps preserve marshes. “These spiders play an important role in maintaining the rich aquatic diversity of pastures on our reserves”estimates Tim Strudwick, site manager at RSPB Mid Yare nature reserve.
Furthermore, even though they are impressive in their size, these spiders remain harmless to humans since they mainly live in marshes. There is therefore no risk of encountering them at home.