A rare ancient spider in New Zealand is thriving after simply being left alone for a little while.
As The Kansas City Star reported, sightings of the Nelson cave spider jumped fourfold in three years after its habitat was closed to visitors. The Nelson cave spider is a spindly and antisocial creature that inhabits the Crazy Paving Cave in the Ōparara Valley, located at the northwest tip of the South Island.
The Department of Conservation notes that the cave's name originates from its ground, which is composed of dried, cracked sediment that resembles paving stones. It lay undisturbed for centuries, like a "time capsule," and served as an ideal habitat for a shy spider.
Poking around a cramped, dark cave full of long-limbed arachnids is not many people's idea of a good time, but apparently, enough New Zealanders were so inclined to disturb the spiders. "The cave has a low ceiling, and it's quite small, so people get close to the spiders, which don't like large creatures such as humans wandering round," senior ranger Scott Freeman explained.
According to the department's social media post about the recovery, the Nelson cave spider "evolved separately from the rest of the world for millions of years," and "may be the missing link between primitive and modern spiders." After millions of years of splendid isolation, they were decidedly put out by the presence of humans. Accordingly, the New Zealand government gave them some breathing room by closing the cave to visitors in 2022.
The story serves as a poignant reminder that the most effective conservation efforts often occur at the local level and that nature is remarkably resilient when given the opportunity.
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Commenters offered supportive sentiments. "A true gem in our cave systems," one said.
Another added, "More than happy to leave the cave to the spiders!" Someone else wrote, "I'm pleased that their numbers increased but not so keen to have an 'up close and personal' experience with them, as I'm sure they are too."
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