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Of all the species traded on the black market, tarantulas often receive the least attention. And, yet, the illegal tarantula trade is rife. Indeed, if it continues at the current rate, many species of tarantula could be facing extinction in the coming years.
Certain countries have attempted to get a handle on the problem and put a stop to poaching. Unfortunately, however, the tarantula trade is proving itself particularly difficult for governments to regulate. Intrigued? Check out this gallery to find out more.
It is no great secret that the illegal wildlife trade is a significant threat to the survival of many species. It is a multi-billion-dollar industry and is the fourth-largest illegal activity in the world.
Over the years, certain species have become famous for being poachers’ favorites. Think elephants being traded for their ivory, and tigers sold for their skins.
But one animal that is a staple of the illegal wildlife trade, but which historically has received little attention for being so, is the tarantula.
With their eight legs and piercing eyes, tarantulas are quite divisive creatures. Some people would run at the mere sight of one, while others find them fascinating.
According to experts, there are a number of reasons that criminals can sell tarantulas on the black market. The first is that some people like to keep them as pets.
Tarantulas first became popular as pets during the 1970s and '80s. Although the legal trade of the eight-legged creatures quickly took off, so did the illegal trade.
As with anything, it seems likely that the illegal trade grew so quickly because doing things above board takes time and money, and it often involves a permit.
Tarantulas are not only sold as pets, however. According to the BBC, 43% are sold as souvenirs, research tools, or for medicine.
The souvenir market for tarantulas appears to be growing the fastest, with more and more people keen to mount and frame them post-mortem.
In general, tarantula species live a long time, and the females often reproduce late. This means that when they are poached, it can take a very long time to regenerate populations.
As a result, many species will be facing extinction if nothing is done to halt the illegal tarantula trade. Unfortunately, however, this is proving very difficult.
One of the reasons that the illegal tarantula trade is booming is that the small invertebrates have proven themselves very easy to transport.
In 2010, for example, a German man packaged hundreds of baby tarantulas into boxes of multicolored straws and sent them via the United States Postal Service.
Then, in 2021, two people were stopped at El Dorado Airport by the Colombian authorities. They were found to be smuggling more than 230 tarantulas in a single suitcase.
As recently as November 2024, a man was caught trying to smuggle hundreds of tarantulas out of Peru. They were strapped to his body.
The ease of transport is one of the reasons that historically it has been so difficult for governments to regulate the tarantula trade.
Another reason is the lack of available data. According to the BBC, there are more than 1,000 known species of tarantula in the world today.
However, only those listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, otherwise known as CITES, are tracked.
The species listed under CITES only represent a tiny proportion of the recognized species, and that’s not to mention all the other species that are yet to be cataloged.
In addition to making it difficult to regulate the trade, the lack of available data also makes it tricky to estimate the real impact of the illegal trade on species’ populations.
Despite all the difficulties associated with regulating the tarantula trade, certain countries are doing better than others.
Countries that are considered tarantula hotspots, such as Brazil, Costa Rica, Peru, and India, have made moves to protect populations against illegal trading.
Countries that are fearful of tarantulas naturalizing and becoming invasive, such as South Africa, have also taken a harder line on the illegal tarantula trade.
However, due to tarantulas’ small size and the fact that illegal online wildlife trading is such a huge market, experts believe that worldwide regulation is not likely.
The situation may sound quite bleak, but there is a silver lining in all this: some experts believe that the illegal trading of tarantulas could help boost certain populations by captive breeding.
Captive breeding can be a useful conservation tool, which has been recognized by initiatives and even legislation such as the EU Birds Directive.
The caveat is, of course, that captive breeding must be properly monitored if it is going to have a real positive impact on tarantula populations.
Indeed, captive breeding that is improperly monitored and regulated could in turn feed back into and stoke the illegal tarantula trade
Sources: (BBC)
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Of all the species traded on the black market, tarantulas often receive the least attention. And, yet, the illegal tarantula trade is rife. Indeed, if it continues at the current rate, many species of tarantula could be facing extinction in the coming years.
Certain countries have attempted to get a handle on the problem and put a stop to poaching. Unfortunately, however, the tarantula trade is proving itself particularly difficult for governments to regulate. Intrigued? Check out this gallery to find out more.