Dangerous Creatures: Tarantula

(North, Central and South America, Europe, northern Africa, southern Asia, Australia)

   In spite of its reputation, the tarantula, which is any big and hairy spider, is not really dangerous to humans.
   Spiders, including tarantulas, have beautifully designed fangs, don’t you think?
   Not all spiders hunt the same way. Some use tricks to lure their prey close.
   Spiders eating mice? Lizards? Here’s a spider with a really big appetite!
   How does a large, fearsome spider like a tarantula end up as baby food?
   Video: Tarantulas don’t build webs to catch their prey. Instead, they are hunting spiders that pounce on their victims. Some even eat birds!
   Advice: Tarantulas are big and hairy, and they may jump at you if you tease them. So they can be very frightening. But they are really very nice spiders to have around.

Next: If you were sitting on the branch of a tree in a Latin American rainforest, you might see a tarantula crawl by. Or a harpy eagle flying beneath the forest canopy.