The baboon spiders of Namibia are very poorly known, as is the case for Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Small baboon spiders most common in the north eastern parts of Southern Africa.
Like all old world spiders, the king baboon tarantula has no … Also, don't search for spiders in nature reserves or national parks by turning rocks, digging holes, or otherwise disturbing the environment.
Photos from directly above are best for identification purposes.The starburst baboon spiders, characterised by their orange brown colouration. During an attack, the forelegs are raised in aggression, exposing the fangs and the orange and black colouration. It is very unlikely that the spider will purposefully try to get back into the house, although the further away you release it, the less likely it is to accidentally re-enter the house. Largely endemic to South Africa and Namibia. Baboon spider bites are very rare but when they do occur, they produce symptoms such as pain and vomiting. Unless you have spiders in containers in your possession without the necessary permits, or search for spiders in protected areas, it is very unlikely that you will be liable for any kind of prosecution.To summarise, unless you have permits don't collect spiders and keep them in your possession. It puts silk at the burrow’s entrance to detect vibrations. They are not dangerous to man although they can inflict a painful bite. Watch this space. This is both unecessary and cruel, as it causes a slow and painful death for the spider. The king baboon spider is rusty brown to orange in color. The Harpactirinae (commonly called baboon spiders) are a subfamily of tarantulas which are native to the continent of Africa.Like many Old World tarantulas, they have a relatively strong venom, and can inflict a painful bite. Search in different habitats, and help fill the gaps in our map.Use your camera or phone to get a clear photo of the spider with as much detail as possible. However, if one does accidentally come into the house you can safely remove it with the 'glass and paper' technique. The featherleg baboon spiders, characterised by the very long hairs on their back legs. A large number of note taking apps are available for mobile devices and potential users should do a little homework to decide which suits their needs best. Obviously if a spider wanders into camp or you see one while on foot you can photograph it, but you cannot actively search for burrows by turning rocks, or lure spiders out of their burrows, as this consitutes interference with the wildlife and the environment. The most dramatic feature of these spiders is the black fangs that can exceed 6 mm in length and are parallel to each other (paraxial). The Hercules Baboon belonging to the family of tarantulas is an amazingly large-sized spider indigenous to different parts of Africa particularly Nigeria. Description. They live in the shrublands and grasslands of east Africa, often using vegetation as a protective cover for their burrows.They are one of the few tarantulas that use stridulation as a major defense mechanism in addition to rearing up and striking. There are no confirmed records of any southern African baboon spiders being dangerous to man, although rumours do exist that one species from the Western Cape, Harpactirella lightfooti, delivers a serious bite.However, further substantiation to this claim is required. They are called baboon spiders due to their hairy appearance and the black scopulae pads on its "feet" resembling the pads on baboon feet. The king baboon spider is a burrowing spider. They are not agressive or dangerous to humans. Place it over the spider against the wall or floor it it sitting on. Species in the closely relates genus Pterinochilus produce a neurotoxic venom but it seems to not have a severe effect on man. One that is worth looking at is We are currently working on an app that will allow you to upload images to the virtual museums directly from your mobile device. Look for their burrows in open ground or turn rocks to find their silk retreats. The trapdoor baboon spiders, enigmatic and elusive. Slide a piece of paper in under the glass or container to the trap the spider, and take it outside and let it go in the garden.
The lesser baboon spiders. In general, the arid Bushmanland, Karoo, Kalahari, and Namaqualand regions are the most poorly known for most animal taxa in South Africa and the same is likely to be the case for baboon spiders. If you have a spider you'd like us to identify please use There are no confirmed records of any southern African baboon spiders being dangerous to man, although rumours do exist that one species from the Western Cape, Photos by Taki Tsonis, Ian Engelbrecht, Julien Starck & Craig McInnesThis email address is being protected from spambots. Some baboon spiders are known to deliver painful bites, but the toxicity of the Blue-footed baboon spider is not known. More diverse in East Africa but with a few Southern African species.
The southern Cape region of the Western Cape is also very poorly known and should recieve attention. This is not something to worry about.