One of the Most Beautiful Tarantulas on Earth Is Also One of the Most Endangered
© Pong Wira/Shutterstock.com (© Pong Wira/Shutterstock.com)A metallic blue spider hiding in a tiny patch of southern India sounds like something out of science fiction, yet the Gooty sapphire ornamental tarantula is very real and vanishingly rare. Tarantula expert Richard Stewart reveals what makes this tree-dweller one of the most extraordinary spiders alive.
Most people picture tarantulas as brown and hairy, which makes the Gooty sapphire ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria metallica) all the more startling. Its body and legs shimmer in a metallic blue so vivid it can look almost unreal. But its looks are only part of what makes it unusual. This tree-dwelling spider is found in the wild only in a small area of southern India, and it’s considered critically endangered. In the video featuring tarantula expert Richard Stewart of The Tarantula Collective, you’ll get an up-close look at this rare tarantula and learn what makes its striking color, life in the trees, and tiny natural range so remarkable.
Source: Nature
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