The Goliath Birdeater Spider (Theraphosa blondi) is an arachnid in the Theraphosidae family of tarantula spiders. It is also called the Goliath Bird-Eating Spider.
The Goliath Birdeater Spider is light brown to golden-coloured, and hairy with eight long legs.
Its body measures about 13 centimetres (5 inches) long. It is the heaviest spider in the world and the largest by size. However, the Giant Huntsman Spider has the longest legs. The legs of the Goliath Birdeater measure about 30 centimetres (12 inches) long.
It is native to South American countries, and mostly in the Amazon Rainforest. It prefers tropical, humid forests.
It is terrestrial, living on land, and not in trees. It lives in burrows in loose soil. It is nocturnal, active mostly at night.
The Goliath Birdeaters is carnivorous, eating frogs, mice, lizards, and snakes. It rarely eats birds.
The female lays 100-200 eggs, which hatch into spiderlings after about 60 days.
The average lifespan of the female is 15-25 years, whereas the average lifespan of the male is about 3-6 years.
Location of photographs: Parc Zoologique de Paris in Bois de Vincennes, France
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM