Tarantulas of South Africa!

Ricki123

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
72
Hey peeps, im heading out to south africa in August for a conservation experience as you can see from my signature and i'm hoping i'll see plenty of T's out there in their natural habitat.

But i don't know what species are indigenous to South Africa.... i know theres mostly baboons out there, but what species?
 

apidaeman

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
Messages
276
Wonderful, enjoy the trip.

Perhaps someday T's won't have to be noted as WC or CB. Captive breeding efforts are well established and going strong for many species. So someday the wild specimens can be left as they are, in the wild.
 

smof

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 12, 2005
Messages
749
Awesome, you will have a wicked time. I spent 5 weeks in RSA doing conservation stuff back in 2004 and it was the best month of my life!

I only saw one T while I was there but it was a beauty...







I've been reliably told this is an Augacephalus junodi and apparently they are quite widespread in RSA. There is a related species also from Augacephalus in the hobby which looks very similar.

This one was found in a burrow in the lawn of our house. We never saw any Ts out and about, we had to go looking for her. You might have more luck than me as I left at the beginning of August which is just as it was starting to get hot.
 

betuana

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
Messages
345
Lucky!

You are so lucky! If I had the funds and the time to spare I have several conservation projects that I know accept volunteers in the South Africa area that I'd LOVE to go spent time at. I just don't have the several months and necessary funding available to go. Someday maybe....

Have a great time on your trip! {D
 

ShadowBlade

Planeswalker
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Messages
2,591
Here's a cool site for you to look at in preparation for your trip.

Here

I've always wanted to see some Harpactirella in person, you might get the chance... (Just don't get bit!:eek:)

-Sean
 
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OldHag

ArachnoHag
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 8, 2003
Messages
1,711
I have been looking for a male A. junodi for YEARS... My poor female will die a virgin :(
Thats a gorgeous tarantula! sigh
 

smof

Arachnodemon
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Dec 12, 2005
Messages
749
I have been looking for a male A. junodi for YEARS... My poor female will die a virgin :(
Thats a gorgeous tarantula! sigh
Aw that's a shame. They are a beautiful species and this one was very calm when we held it. How is the temperment of yours? I think there are some of this species being bred in the hobby, maybe just in RSA at the moment, but hopefully in a few years they will be a lot more common.
 

ahas

Arachnodemon
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Jun 11, 2007
Messages
668
That' s really beautiful T! I' ve never seen an Augacephalus junodi even in photo before. Just now! :eek:
 

AubZ

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
May 19, 2007
Messages
1,125
Where in South Africa are you coming?
Send me PM and who knows, maybe we can meet when you come.
It is illegal to keep any South African Baboon Spiders here without permits, but you can still see them in their natural habitat.
Hope you enjoy.
 

pinkfoot

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
May 9, 2006
Messages
612
Where in South Africa are you coming?
Send me PM and who knows, maybe we can meet when you come.
It is illegal to keep any South African Baboon Spiders here without permits, but you can still see them in their natural habitat.
Hope you enjoy.
{D














..........
 

pinkfoot

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
May 9, 2006
Messages
612
Hey peeps, im heading out to south africa in August for a conservation experience as you can see from my signature and i'm hoping i'll see plenty of T's out there in their natural habitat.

But i don't know what species are indigenous to South Africa.... i know theres mostly baboons out there, but what species?
Augacephalus junodi
Augacephalus mozambique
Harpactira curator
Ceratogyrus bechuanicus
Ceratogyrus hamiltoni
Ceratogyrus darlingi

OP -

These are some of the names I've heard, though they are not in the hobby, (here in SA,) so I sadly know more about exotics than I do about our own indigenous group! Try baboon.de for more info. I haven't used it in years, but
the site used to really informative on this group of spids.
 

AubZ

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
May 19, 2007
Messages
1,125
Hehe Pinkfoot.

I think that C darlingi is available in the hobby, but the rest not.
There were a group of guys here I think within the last 2 years and they collected Baboon spiders at a nature reserve and got caught. They had heavy fines imposed on them. They are really strict down here, so you won't find many in the hobby.
We even battle to get permits to keep them.
 

smof

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 12, 2005
Messages
749
So we can keep South African species in Europe and America, but you guys in South Africa can't? Man that's a bit lame!
 

Fishstix

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 11, 2008
Messages
14
there is a place in S.A that you can find the most beautiful of all baboon spiders (harpactira anyway) that i've ever seen. If someone will try explain how to post pics I'll share the photo's of the best kept secret in S.A this one beats some of the top looking spiders in the world ;)
 
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