A disturbing video that has surfaced online shows a large spider eating a bird. The video, originally posted on Reddit, shows the giant, hairy spider hanging from a wooden beam while holding an entire bird in its front legs. According to the Daily Mail, the Reddit user who shared the footage initially misidentified the spider as a Goliath bird eater, which is the largest spider in the world. The spider in this video is actually believed to be a pink toe tarantula.
The footage has left viewers horrified, with many labeling it "scary" and "frightening". After being posted on Reddit, it was shared on the popular Twitter account 'The Dark Side of Nature' earlier this month.
An Avicularia munching on a bird. pic.twitter.com/IdjQyWMxFZ
— The Dark Side Of Nature (@Darksidevid) September 1, 2020
The video has garnered over 3.6 lakh views on the microblogging platform. On video hosting website Gfycat, it has crossed a million views.
"This is so horrible," wrote one Twitter user in the comments section.
"Surely this can't be real?! If it is I'm never going into my shed again," another said.
Jason Dunlop, from the Museum of Natural History at the Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Research in Germany, told Newsweek that the spider appears to be a pink toe tarantula (Avicularia avicularia), "or at least something closely related."
He said that these spiders do not generally eat birds, but there could always be exceptions. "I suspect the tarantula would have chewed up what it can. It basically regurgitates digestive juices on to the prey and then sucks the liquified remains back in. Whatever was left-bones, feathers-would simply be discarded," Mr Dunlop said.
Pink toe tarantulas are found in South America. They are active predators who live on trees and feed on small mammals and rodents.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
