Bid to smuggle rare tarantulas spider foiled

Wildlife officials arrest three poachers near Hazara motorway

HARIPUR:

The wildlife Hazara circle foiled a bid to smuggle rare Tarantulas spider and arrested three poachers at Shah Maqsood Interchange on Monday.

"The poachers have been arrested systematically as wildlife officials engaged them by posing themselves as potential buyers," said Wildlife Hazara Division Conservator Muhammad Hussain. The three poachers have been fined a sum of Rs120,000 under relevant laws of Biodiversity and Wildlife Act of 2015 besides confiscating the spider, said Hussain. He added that the seized spider is in good health and will be released soon in its natural habitat of semi dry rocky terrain. The rare Tarantulas spider was purchased by the poachers from a person in Chattar Plane area of Battagram district.

The details about the seller in Chattar Plane has also been shared with DFO of Battagram who will take action against him, said Hussain. "Tarantulas comprise of a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae and is a rare species in our region," said SDFO Wildlife Hazara Circle Nawaz.

Nawaz said that the seized spider was of black colour and large to an ideal size as of a dinner plate when the legs are fully extended.

These spiders have demand in the international market due to the use of their venom for treatment and are also kept by insect lovers as pets. Tarantulas spiders play a key role in the food chain and act as both predators and prey. They keep insects population in check which helps to control the spread of disease and they serve as valuable sustenance for birds and other small animals.

Nawaz opined that fake reports on social media about the high demand of different wild species like black scorpions, lizardsd and spiders lure people to this illegal practice of poaching.

The arrested poachers, he continued, were young and wanted to become rich in less time by selling a few highly demanded rare wild species in the international market. He said the Wildlife Department trapped them by posing themselves as buyers and making a lucrative offer which helped in seizing of the trapped spider.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2022.