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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent

Giant spiders that can grow to size of human hand thriving in the UK

United Kingdom RSPB Chester Zoo Chester
A female Raft Spider on leaf in a little pond
There are thought to be 10,000 female fen raft spiders now in the wild across the UK. Photograph: Jill Mead/The Guardian

Thousands of giant spiders that can grow to the size of a human hand are thriving in the UK, thanks to a successful breeding programme from Chester zoo.

The fen raft spider is a harmless arachnid that plays a vital role in aquatic ecosystems, but 15 years ago was on the brink of extinction because of habitat loss.

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