UK zoo celebrates release of rare spiders that can grow to size of human hand

A zoo in the United Kingdom is celebrating a decade of reviving a species that nearly became extinct.

In a Facebook post, the Chester Zoo marked the release of thousands of giant fen raft spiders, which were bred at the zoo.

The spiders are also known as great raft spiders. They are not harmful to humans.

“Ten years ago, we helped release THOUSANDS of GIANT spiders back into the U.K.,” the zoo wrote. “The fen raft spiders were bred right here at the zoo, and we’re super happy to report there are now more than 10,000 breeding females ... and they’ve just had the biggest mating season on record!”

The zoo continued the post by emphasizing the arachnid’s large size, stating that spiders can “grow to be the size of your hand!”

The London Zoo, meanwhile, described the arachnid’s size as comparable to the width of a human palm -- usually between 65 and 70 millimeters.

In an August news release, officials at the Chester Zoo described its efforts to save the fen raft spider from extinction after “people destroyed its wetland home,” People reported.

In 2011, the zoo reared “hundreds of baby spiders” in individual test tubes as part of a conservation breeding program with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the news release stated.

First, the zoo’s team of experts gathered “hundreds of baby spiders” in individual test tubes to ensure their safety as part of a rescue program with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

The spiders were hand-fed with tweezers in the zoo’s breeding facility until they were large enough to be released into the wild,” The Guardian reported.

In its news release, the Chester Zoo said the RSPB estimated that there are now 10,000 breeding females across the UK.

“You can’t miss them, they grow to be the size of your hand,” the Chester Zoo wrote on Facebook. “Honestly, you’re so welcome.”

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