UK’s largest spider rebounds with conservation help
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Conservationists in the United Kingdom successfully increased the population of the fen raft spider, the country’s largest spider, after it nearly disappeared.
In 2010, the fen raft spider faced extinction, but collaborative efforts including a breeding program at Chester Zoo and habitat restoration by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) reversed the decline. The zoo reared hundreds of baby spiders by hand, then released them into restored wetlands.
Now, Norfolk alone supports approximately 3,750 breeding female fen raft spiders across 12 locations. Ecologists estimate 10,000 breeding females live across the UK, marking the best year on record for the species. The spiders are not venomous and hunt across the water’s surface, consuming insects, small fish, and other invertebrates. The RSPB continues to manage grazing marsh ditches and wetland areas to provide ideal breeding and hunting conditions for the spiders.
Experts believe the spider’s recovery benefits the wider wetland ecosystem, contributing to biodiversity and supporting local economies through unique landscapes. People can view the spiders at the Strumpshaw Fen meadow trail in Norfolk from June to September.
