Juan Pablo Ampudia

Documentary Photographer

THE ILLEGAL MARKET OF TARANTULAS IS A HAIRY BUSINESS

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Clients: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, GATOPARDO, LOS ANGELES TIMES, UNICEF, INSIDER

School: Centro de Estudios en Ciencias de la Comunicacion Foundry Photojournalism Workshop

A captive-bred Mexican fireleg... to be sold illegally as pets.

A captive-bred Mexican fireleg tarantula is seen up close outside Tarantulas of Mexico, a breeding facility in the northwestern state of Jalisco. Firelegs and other species of tarantulas are sought in the wild to be sold illegally as pets.

Young tarantulas crawl around ...h captive-bred ones.

Young tarantulas crawl around a glass container at the Tarantulas of Mexico breeding facility, which is run by spider researcher and enthusiast Rodrigo Orozco. He opened the facility in 2003 hoping to shut down trafficking of wild tarantulas by flooding the market with captive-bred ones.

Containers at Tarantulas of Me... introduce some into the wild.

Containers at Tarantulas of Mexico hold hundreds of baby spiders. In addition to selling tarantulas, Orozco plans to introduce some into the wild.

Tarantulas have been found in ... the spiders around the world.

Tarantulas have been found in Primavera Forest National Park, near Rodrigo Orozco's breeding facility. Habitat destruction threatens the spiders around the world.

As they grow, tarantulas perio...39;t aggressive toward humans.

As they grow, tarantulas periodically shed their skins, leaving behind exoskeletons like these on display at Tarantulas of Mexico. Many people are afraid of tarantulas, which generally aren't aggressive toward humans.

Each year Rodrigo Orozco breed...popular for its docile nature.

Each year Rodrigo Orozco breeds 7,000 tarantulas at his facility, according to his website. The Mexican red-kneed tarantula is especially popular for its docile nature.

In Naucalpan, Mexico, Raul Cam... because of the illegal trade.

In Naucalpan, Mexico, Raul Campos checks up on his pet red-kneed tarantula. These mild-tempered spiders have suffered losses in the wild because of the illegal trade.

Self-proclaimed bug lover Edua...undreds of tarantulas as pets.

Self-proclaimed bug lover Eduardo Chavez Guevas inspects his pampas tawny red, a South American species. Serious hobbyists might keep hundreds of tarantulas as pets.

Yanei Badillo shows off her pe...west or most colorful species.

Yanei Badillo shows off her pet fireleg tarantula in Mexico City. Some collectors are on the lookout for the newest or most colorful species.

Tarantula enthusiasts gather a...market to strut their spiders.

Tarantula enthusiasts gather at a bar in Mexico City's Morelos market to strut their spiders.

Victor Daniel Gutierrez Martin...tarantulas away from the area.

Victor Daniel Gutierrez Martinez leaves no stone unscrutinized as he hunts for tarantulas near his house in Naucalpan de Juarez, Mexico. The tarantula breeder says development and pollution keep most tarantulas away from the area.

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Public Project

THE ILLEGAL MARKET OF TARANTULAS IS A HAIRY BUSINESS

Copyright Juan Pablo Ampudia 2024

Date of Work Oct 2018 - Nov 2018

Updated Feb 2022

Location Mexico City, Guadalajara

Topics tarantula

Little studied, these spiders are the object of a booming illicit trade as pets and display pieces. Scientists report a significant amount of illegal activity involving tarantulas, believed to be fueled largely by hobbyists willing to pay hundreds of dollars apiece for pet spiders.

The illegal tarantula trade is a little-known corner of the black market in wildlife, a multibillion-dollar industry that’s harming animal populations around the globe. To keep up with demand, some traders hire local people to hunt tarantulas in the wild. The spiders are smuggled out, then sold to breeders or collectors looking for the newest, most colorful, or otherwise most distinctive creature.

The illegal market for tarantulas is hairy business
Little studied, these spiders are the object of a booming illicit trade as pets and display pieces.

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