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Tarantulas in New Zealand

Discussion in 'New Zealand' started by zooboy28, 22 Jun 2012.

  1. zooboy28

    zooboy28 Well-Known Member

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    Starting a new thread cos this is about more than just Wellington Zoo's recent import (106 spiders of 6 species).

    We do actually have a surprisingly large number of species already, I have seen at least six species in the last year:

    Species in New Zealand:

    -Mexican Red Knee Tarantula (Auckland, Canterbury Museum)
    -Costa Rican Zebra Tarantula (Butterfly Creek)
    -Pink-toed Tarantula (Otago Museum, Butterfly Creek)
    -King Baboon Tarantula (Butterfly Creek)
    -Thailand Black Tarantula (Butterfly Creek)
    -Bolivian Blue-leg Tarantula (Butterfly Creek)
    (these may also be held at other collections, and there may be more holdings, because I am not sure what Wellington and the South Island collections have, and what Auckland and Butterfly Creek have off-display.)

    Species Imported 2012:

    -Chilean Rose Tarantula (Wellington Zoo)
    -King Baboon Tarantula (Wellington Zoo)
    -?
    -?
    -?
    -?

    Species in NZ 2009, current status unknown
    -Peruvian Pink-toed Tarantula (Wellington)
    -Goliath Tarantula (Auckland, Wellington)
    -Goliath Stripe-legged Tarantula (Otago Museum)

    So it will be interesting to see what species we have once the remaining four imported by Wellington are revealed. A further 30 will be arriving in the next two months, these will be endangered species.

    If anyone knows of anymore species, please add them to the thread.
     
    Last edited: 22 Jun 2012
  2. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    as far as I'm aware the only ones on display in the South Island are at Canterbury Museum and Otago Museum. Last time I was there Canterbury Museum only had one red-kneed tarantula left. Otago Museum usually has three species but I can't remember what they are offhand. I haven't seen the Canterbury University spider room for a long time so not sure if they still have tarantulas there or not.
     
  3. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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  4. zooboy28

    zooboy28 Well-Known Member

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    Otago Museum's holdings from 2007:

     
  5. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    for what it's worth, these are the species approved by the EPA for containment within NZ zoos:
    Aphonopelma moderatum (Rio Grande gold tarantula)
    Aphonopelma seemanni (Costa Rica zebra tarantula)
    Avicularia urticans (Peruvian pink toe tarantula)
    Brachypelma smithii (Mexican red knee tarantula)
    Citharischius crawshayi (king baboon tarantula)
    Grammostola pulchra (Brazilian black tarantula)
    Grammostola rosea (Chilean rose hair tarantula)
    Lasiodorides polycuspulatus (Peruvian blonde tarantula)
    Lasiodorides striatus (Peruvian orange stripe tarantula)
    Pamphobetus antinous (steely blue-leg bird-eating spider)
    Pamphobetus platytomma (Brazilian pink tarantula)
    Theraphosa blondi (Goliath bird-eating spider)
     
  6. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    I find the Thailand black tarantula interesting because the only non-American species on the approved list is the king baboon from Africa. I checked the Butterfly Creek website and the spider pictured is definitely Haplopelma minax though. Perhaps they came in accidentally as another species (or as stowaways in cargo or something like that) and they were allowed to keep them?
     
  7. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    the reference (on the other thread) to some of Wellington Zoo's new tarantulas going to Auckland Museum caused me to have a look at their website and apparently they have tarantulas and other live animals in their Weird And Wonderful section (Weird & Wonderful - Auckland Museum New Zealand). Have you ever been there zooboy28? The room looks really similar to the Discovery Centre at the Canterbury Museum.
     
  8. zankara

    zankara Member

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    I was there last year but don't remember seeing any tarantulas, but it was incredibly busy and crowded so I may have missed them.
     
  9. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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  10. zooboy28

    zooboy28 Well-Known Member

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  11. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    I meant TheSpiderShop's facebook, not Wellington Zoo's facebook (I may have phrased it confusingly)
     
  12. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    in my random googlings I found an interesting sideline. The Spider Shop, from whence Wellington Zoo sourced their spiders, is owned by one Lee Ardern. Google his name to find how he has obtained, for example, tarantulas in South America for his business in Wales....

    I'm sure all the spiders Wellington Zoo imported were captive-bred and legal, but surely they should be checking their suppliers better.
     
  13. Jarkari

    Jarkari Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Wow!!!! Would love to get my hands on some of those. make some nice additions to my invert collection. as far as i know the only place here to see exotic tarantulas is at the Reptile Park.
     
  14. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    there's not much news in Timaru, so the local newspaper there (the Timaru Herald) has run a story on how the South Canterbury Museum won't be getting tarantulas!
    Spiders Not Coming To South Canterbury Musuem | Stuff.co.nz
     
  15. PAT

    PAT Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Both Melbourne Zoo and Melbourne Museum have small collections of a few different species. I can't remember which of the top of my head. The Museum has a bit of information about quarantine and I think that theirs (and possibly the zoos) were saved after being imported illegally.
     
  16. Maguari

    Maguari Never could get the hang of Thursdays. 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Bit off-topic but have I missed something here or is there a typo? 25°C is hardly a remarkable temperature for a fish..! Temperature variations, maybe?
     
  17. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    I think he was meaning New Zealand freshwater fish rather than freshwater fish in general. Most NZ native fish can't tolerate high temperatures very well but inanga can be kept at higher than most. There have been quite a lot of studies done on inanga because their young (whitebait) are important culturally. The preferred temperature of the species has been shown to be about 20°C but they can take it up as high as 26°C. It's not a temperature you would intentionally keep them at however because they are then under a state of stress and become more susceptible to disease and other problems.
     
  18. zoomaniac

    zoomaniac Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I am amazed: NZ authorities allow importing bird eating spiders, but denied it for (even non venomous) snakes??! Hmh, couldn't be the warm and humid environment of NZ cities and/or the Top Northern parts of NZ a good habitat for escaped bird eating spiders too? And is population control of bird eating spiders easier then the one of snakes?...
     
  19. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    from 2010:
    Exotic tarantulas: Museum Victoria
    I guess you need to get to Melbourne Jarkari!!

    This article is from 2012:
    MV Blog: Museum Victoria
     
  20. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    NZ cities are neither warm nor humid. Generally speaking, NZers don't heat buildings the way Europeans do. We are too tough ;)

    There's really no way any of the importable species could survive in the wild in NZ, even in the far north. But yes it is a bit silly that tarantulas (and the two species of scorpion which are also on the allowed list!!) can be brought into the country for zoos but not a single male non-venomous tropical snake can be. But that's the way it is.