Sighting of Tarantula Leads to Vehicle Collision in Death Valley National Park

In an unusual twist of events within the premises of Death Valley National Park in California, a tarantula sighting resulted in a vehicular collision.

Contrary to common expectations of bear or bison encounters, it was a tarantula that induced panic among the tourists.

According to an official press release by Death Valley National Park, on the 28th of October, two Swiss tourists were navigating in a campervan when the driver abruptly spotted the tarantula and applied the brakes hastily. Regrettably, this sudden action caused a motorcyclist traveling behind the van to collide with the back of the vehicle.

Subsequently, the injured motorcyclist was promptly transported to a nearby hospital, while the tarantula, as described in the park's statement, "proceeded unharmed."

While Death Valley is known for its diverse wildlife, tarantulas are not the most commonly encountered species. The press release elucidates that these arachnids predominantly dwell underground, emerging only in search of mates. The fall season marks the peak period for their surface appearances.

In light of this incident, the park administration advises visitors to remain composed when encountering these eight-legged creatures.

“Tarantulas are slow-moving and nonaggressive. A tarantula’s bite is reported to be similar to a bee sting, and is not deadly to humans.”

Recent years have seen several instances of human-animal interactions in America's national parks, often stemming from individuals attempting to approach wildlife rather than avoiding them. Notably, earlier this year at Yellowstone National Park, park staff were compelled to euthanize a bison calf after a visitor tried to handle the animal.

The individual in question pleaded guilty to a charge of "feeding, touching, teasing, frightening, or intentionally disturbing wildlife" and incurred a fine of $500. In a similar vein, a segment of North Carolina's Blue Ridge Parkway national park was temporarily closed this week due to multiple occurrences of “visitors feeding and attempting to hold a young bear.”

Source: cnn.com