Tarantula causes collision in California’s Death Valley National Park and walks away ‘unscathed’

tarantula-causes-collision
Representative Picture, Pexels

Unexpected vehicle accidents usually occur due to irresponsibility on the part of the driver or otherwise. However, seldom is a life-threatening accident caused due to an insignificant contributor to the accident.

People reported a case where a tarantula caused an accident Saturday in California’s Death Valley National Park, resulting in a motorcyclist being hospitalized. People gathered reports from the National Park Service where a rented camper van carrying a Swiss couple and A 24-year-old Canadian man on a motorcycle clashed against each other in the area. The Swiss couple tried to avoid trampling over a tarantula while crossing CA-190 east of Towne Pass in the park, which resulted in the motorcycle crashing into the rear of the camper van.

Thereafter, per officials, an NPS ambulance took the motorcyclist to the Desert View Hospital in Pahrump to get him checked since he got injured from the impact. The statement of NPS officials per People stated that the tarantula that caused the accident in the first place got away unscathed from the scene of the accident.

Per People, Mike Reynolds, who is the NPS Superintendent, said in a press release, “Please drive slowly, especially going down steep hills in the park. Our roads still have gravel patches due to flood damage, and wildlife of all sizes are out.” Per the statement, the officer added that tarantulas are slow-moving, and their bit is non-lethal to humans.

National Geographic states that “tarantulas on average measure 4.75 inches in length and have a lifespan of up to 30 years. Their main prey is insects, but they can also hunt frogs, toads, and mice.” Per People, the NPS also said, “Tarantulas spend most of their long lives in underground burrows,” adding, “People see them most often in the fall when 8- to 10-year-old male tarantulas leave their burrows to search for a mate. The female sometimes kills and eats him after mating. Even if she doesn’t kill him, the male tarantula rarely lives more than a few more months. However, female tarantulas can live for 25 years, mating multiple times.”

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