North Rhine-Westphalia: tarantula discovered in the botanical garden

Bonn (dpa / lnw) - Plants should actually be the focus of the botanical gardens in Bonn - now a tarantula that was probably exposed there has caused a stir.

North Rhine-Westphalia: tarantula discovered in the botanical garden

Bonn (dpa / lnw) - Plants should actually be the focus of the botanical gardens in Bonn - now a tarantula that was probably exposed there has caused a stir. A student intern discovered them last week while collecting leaves in the tropical house, said the scientific director of the gardens, Cornelia Löhne, on Wednesday. For the boy, it was therefore a shock - the spider is harmless to humans. But she would not be the first animal to be abandoned in the gardens and cause problems for those responsible. The "General-Anzeiger" had previously reported.

Although located in the middle of the city, the gardens are an idyllic place. They are bordered by a ditch on two sides. According to Löhne, red-eared turtles from North America are repeatedly released there to compete with native pond turtles. During a renovation a good ten years ago, the entire population of non-native animals was removed and young pond turtles were settled - but now the North American animals are in the majority again, said the botanist. Turtles are protected, "that's why we're not thrilled when animals are abandoned."

In addition, fish are always brought into the warm water basin, said Löhne. Most are harmless. But small perch once caused great damage: they dug into the ground, the pool had to be dug over. And then there were the snapping turtles, which could also have been dangerous for humans. "If you put your hand in the water, sometimes your whole finger is off," said Löhne.

According to the botanist, the tarantula posed no danger. She was taken to the Koenig Zoological Research Museum in Bonn, where she is to be identified more precisely by an expert.