The largest animal to have ever lived on our planet is none other than the Blue Whale.
These Baleen whales grow up to 30 meters in length, and weigh up to 200 tons!! Its tongue alone can weigh 3 tons, and a newborn calf is as heavy as an adult Hippopotamus!
Scientists estimate Blue Whales can live for up to 80 years, although they are still vulnerable to climate change, vessel strikes, and their only known predator, the Orca.
Surviving a near extinction during the 19th century, Blue Whales have since been recovering, with populations estimated at more than 12,000.
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Hairy 8-Legged Insect
What in the world is the biggest spider?
The Amazon Tarantula!
Of the hairy, crunchy, and slimy bugs crawling all over our planet, none is bigger than the mighty Tarantula. This species is the king of all spiders, and the largest of the Tarantulas live in the Amazon rainforest.
Since Dinosaurs’ walked on earth, Tarantulas have also existed. These spiders are excellent at adapting to their ever-changing environment, and this has been instrumental in ensuring their survival for millions of years.
Tarantula spiders belong to the Theraphosidae family, of which the biggest is Pseudotherathosa. The latter can grow to a staggering 33 centimetres in diameter!
In the Amazon, most of the Tarantula species have 'Utricating' hairs. This enables their hairs to penetrate the soft tissues (e.g. human skin!) and cause severe irritation.
Watch your step!
Deep in the Amazon jungle, Tarantulas thrive in the intense humid climate. They can live in underground burrows while some prefer to a higher lifestyle in trees.
The common Amazon Tarantula is the Pink-Toe Tarantula. This spider is fairly docile and known to be kept as a pet by some Tarantula-loving humans!
The Red and Black Tarantulas are also found in the Amazon region; however, the Red Tarantula is quite rare. The latter is also more aggressive and known to have a 'red-hot' temper. Covered in red hairs, this Tarantula is generally larger than the Black species.
Some Tarantulas can live between 25-30 years, while other are lucky to have an 8-year life span. Female spiders live much longer than their male counterparts who will die soon after mating.
What's for dinner?
You guessed it, Tarantula are Carnivores!
Common items on the menu are grasshoppers, millipedes, Beetles, other spiders, snakes, lizards, frogs, and small birds.
Plan of attack
Preferring to patiently wait for its prey to make the approach, Tarantulas are equipped with powerful jaws to crush their kill as well as venomous fangs, which inject a powerful chemical into flesh.
Danger to humans?
Although the Tarantula spider is a top predatory insect, it is powerless against the threat of humans. No Tarantula has ever fatally poisoned a human. It is rather the human specie that invades the natural habitats of Tarantulas, eradicates them from entire regions, and subsequently threatens their survival in the wild.