Where to watch out for tarantulas this summer
Driven by high spring temperatures and moisture, male tarantulas undertake a perilous journey to find mates, while females typically remain in their burrows.
Despite common fears, most of the 29 US tarantula species are relatively small, reaching only about 4.5 inches in diameter.
Tarantula bites are rare and generally comparable to a bee sting, usually causing only mild effects in humans.
Experts advise against handling wild tarantulas, suggesting observation from a distance, particularly an hour before dusk in specific viewing areas.
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The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
Remains of animals dating back 10,000 years found in Arctic cave: ‘A rare snapshot of a vanished world'
The remains of animals dating back more than 10,000 years have been found in a cave in northern Norway providing the oldest example of an animal community living in the European Arctic region. Forty-six types of mammals were found, as well as fish and birds. The discovery, which includes polar bear, walrus, bowhead whale and Atlantic puffin, provides 'a rare snapshot of a vanished Arctic world', according to scientists. Also found were the remains of collared lemmings which are now extinct in Europe and had not been found in Scandinavia before. The team say the study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), will help show how wildlife has responded to dramatic climate shifts in the past as the animal community dates to a warmer period of the ice age. DNA testing carried out for the research found that the lineages of the animals did not survive when colder conditions returned. Sam Walker, of Bournemouth University, said: 'These discoveries provide a rare snapshot of a vanished Arctic world. 'They also underscore how vulnerable cold-adapted species can be under changing climate conditions, which can help us to understand their resilience and extinction risk in the present.' The remains were found in the Arne Qvamgrotta cave which was first discovered in the 1990s when a local mining industry built a tunnel through the nearby mountain. But it was large excavations carried out in 2021 and 2022 which led to the discovery of the animals which also included common eider, rock ptarmigan and Atlantic cod. Professor Sanne Boessenkool, of the University of Oslo, said: 'We have very little evidence of what Arctic life was like in this period because of the lack of preserved remains over 10,000 years old. 'The cave has now revealed a diverse mix of animals in a coastal ecosystem representing both the marine and the terrestrial environment.' The researchers state that the variety of animals including migratory reindeer suggest the habitat would have been mostly ice-free at the time and the presence of freshwater fish meant there would have been lakes and rivers within tundra. There would also have been sea ice for the bowhead whales and walruses, although this would have been seasonal as the harbour porpoises found are known to avoid ice, the scientists say. The study suggests that although the animals had managed to colonise the region after the glaciers melted, their whole populations had died out as they had been unable to migrate when the ice returned. Dr Walker said: 'This highlights how cold-adapted species struggle to adapt to major climatic events. 'This has a direct link to the challenges they are facing in the Arctic today as the climate warms at a rapid pace. 'The habitats these animals in the region live in today are much more fractured than 75,000 years ago, so it is even harder for animal populations to move and adapt.' Prof Boessenkool added: 'It is also important to note that this was a shift to a colder, not a period of warming that we are facing today. 'And these are cold-adapted species, so if they struggled to cope with colder periods in the past, it will be even harder for these species to adapt to a warming climate.'
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
VERY fishy behaviour! Parts of Sir David Attenborough's latest series Parenthood are filmed in a TANK, BBC admit
Parts of David Attenborough 's latest series were filmed in a fish tank rather than in the wild, the BBC has admitted. The beloved British broadcaster used tanks during key scenes that featured boxer crabs, skeleton shrimps and Banggai cardinalfish across the five episodes of Parenthood. Airing its first episode on Sunday, August 1, the series promised viewers 'astonishing, never-before-seen animal behaviours in stunning ultra high definition, from the remote jungles of Bhutan to the grasslands of Botswana'. The near hour-long programme by Sir David, aged 99, focuses on animal parents that are 'having to adapt to a world that is changing rapidly', with the creatures facing 'a unique set of challenges' that they must overcome. It is the first BBC natural history series to focus on parenting, with the team using new technology to capture the weird and wonderful in the wild. However, the BBC have now revealed parts of the unique show were not filmed 'in situ', as viewers may have initially expected, but instead were shot in manufactured environments such as tanks and incubators. The decision was taken, the public broadcaster insists, due to the 'tiny scale of the animals, fragility of the environment and sensitive nature between parents and their young', The Times reported. In an article published by producers Jeff Wilson and Olly Scholey it was revealed that during the five-minute opening of an episode that showcased turtle hatchlings, filming occurred in a specialist 'incubation project' in Brazil, rather than actually underwater. The pair said that the use of the incubation project ensured that the eggs would not be disturbed while also allowing viewers to witness an 'unbelievable spectacle' that ultimately 'was crucial to the story'. In the incredible scene, described as 'a seminal moment for the film', hundreds of young turtles are shown following their mothers calls to the safety of the river, acting as a visualisation of the unpredictability of parenting in the animal kingdom. On Monday, the BBC told The Times that distributing the eggs in situ 'would've overstepped the mark'. Insisting that filming underwater 'would mean risking the survival of the young', Mr Wilson and Mr Scholey also said that the decision to use tanks was taken to 'ensure that we got the balance absolutely right'. Due to the 'incredibly fragile' animals, the filming crews sought to 'tread carefully' in order to avoid infringing on the natural wildlife. As a result, a specialist tank set in Indonesia was also used during a five-minute scene of boxer crabs shown in the opening of the show's first episode. Both Mr Wilson and Mr Scholey also acknowledged that several parts of the programme were indeed captured on location, with filming said to have taken place across locations spanning Botswana, Arizona, Tanzania, Namibia, southern Spain and Indonesia. They added that unlike on land, filming underwater presents a host of unique challenges, with water visibility changing hourly, and divers forced to wade through water in search of the story. A fascinating clip captured from the show's first instalment showed Attenborough's team as they attempt to build up a relationship with the unique silverback gorillas and their infants. Described by Max Kobl, cinematographer for the show, as 'probably the most powerful of all primates', Sir David, narrating, warns that 'it isn't going to come easy' for the film crew as they attempt to get close to the sneaky gorillas. Initially, the team face great difficulty even finding the animals, seen wading through thick swamps in order to locate them and using indicators such as the types of twigs on the ground. Commentating, one member of the crew says: 'The swamps don't pose challenges for the gorillas, the swamps pose one of many challenges for us.' In the insightful footage of their challenging trek, one member of the team is seen nearly toppling over due to the thick, knee-deep water. When asked 'you okay?', he simply responds: 'Nope'. Sir David, narrating, adds: 'The team try as best they can to keep up and just as they reach dry land, the gorilla family has other ideas'. In response, viewers took to social media to praise the 'stunning' new show, with one commenter on X gushing: 'All the contributors to Parenthood are amazing', while another added: 'Parenthood is another great programme. Congratulations once again Sir David Attenborough and the BBC'. Meanwhile, a bone chilling moment during the programme captured the moment a colony of newborn African spiders turn to hunt their own mothers. In the never before seen behaviour, a pack of African social spiders are shown hunting in packs and responding to the vibrations of their prey as they struggle in the webs. The spiders move in unison, starting and stopping at the same time, freezing together in a sinister game of musical statues. Even more disturbing, after displaying their hunting skills on their usual prey of insects, the 1,000 strong colony then turns on their own mothers and eat them alive. Parenthood also features striking footage of the lives of orangutans, elephants and cheetahs, among many others. Unique technology used across the five-part series includes military-grade infrared cameras mounted on gimbals on off-road vehicles and show hippos being chased by lions at night. The BBC was approached for comment.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
Scientists identify cause of sea star epidemic along North America's Pacific coast
Scientists have identified a specific bacterium, Vibrio pectenicida, as the cause of the devastating sea star wasting disease that has killed over five billion sea stars off North America's Pacific coast since 2013. The disease, which causes lesions and arm loss, has severely impacted over 20 species, with the sunflower sea star losing approximately 90 percent of its population within five years. The breakthrough, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, involved meticulously analyzing the coelomic fluid of sea stars, overcoming previous false leads that focused on dead tissue samples. Identifying the bacterium provides a crucial step for intervention, allowing scientists to test remaining sea stars, consider relocation or captive breeding, and investigate natural immunity or probiotic treatments. The recovery of sea star populations is vital for the Pacific ecosystem, as their decline led to an explosion in sea urchins, which subsequently decimated 95 percent of Northern California 's kelp forests.
