Rare spiders given leg-up to survive at Beale Park

For the past two months, animal keepers at the Lower Basildon-based Beale Park, Mark Myhill and Bekki Harrington, have been mothering 100 fen raft spiderlings, an aquatic spider that hunts on the surface of water.
The native spiders, found in Norfolk, South Wales and Suffolk, are on the endangered species list and are one of only two spider species that are fully protected under UK law.
Beale Park is one of nine British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums taking part in the conservation project across the country that is hand-rearing the spiderlings before releasing them into their natural habitat.
Mr Myhill said: “The spiders are all kept in test tubes and both Bekki and I have to individually hand-feed them with fruit flies.
“It is a time-consuming job but is vital in order to help conserve and grow the future population of this species.”
The spiders are said to have grown to a healthy size and are due to be transferred to Norfolk, where they will be released into a nature reserve, later this month.