There is not much that is known about the Montserrat tarantula, which is found on just one island in the Caribbean.
It’s like something out of a horror movie — and zookeepers at Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom are positively delighted: a clutch of about 200 Montserrat tarantulas have hatched, the first time this rare spider has bred in captivity, according to media reports.
There is not much that is known about the Montserrat tarantula, which is found on just one island in the Caribbean. They were first brought back by a zookeeper three years ago after finding them on several field trips. Now, a female has successfully produced a brood of 200 spiders.
The males of the rare tarantula species live for only 2.5 years, while females can live much longer and develop more slowly, and therfore it was a lot harder to find males. Breeding is very risky for the males, so it was tough for the zoo team to get them to mate successfully. The female may immediately identify the male as prey and attack.
After impregnation, the three females dug a borrow and disappeared, not even feeding. After several months, spiders started suddenly popping out of the earth.
Video of the incredible tarantula spiderlings is below.
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