Environmentalists seek protections for Malaysian tarantula targeted by illegal pet trade

WASHINGTON (CN) — The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the federal government Tuesday in hopes of protecting a Malaysian tarantula from the illegal exotic pet trade industry.

The center hopes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will list the Malaysian purple-femur tarantula as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, which would require the government to regulate, monitor and report international trade in the species.

“It’s unacceptable that international pet demand is robbing Malaysia of irreplaceable wildlife like this stunning tarantula,” Chris Shepherd, senior conservation advocate at the center, said in a press release. “To stop extinction, countries like the United States must work with Malaysia to strengthen enforcement, close trade loopholes and reduce consumer demand. We can’t let Malaysia’s extraordinary biodiversity be lost to frivolous illegal wildlife trade.”

The Malaysian purple-femur tarantula, also known as coremiocnemis hoggi, is equipped with pink legs and bluish-purple femurs and abdomen, making it valuable to exotic pet hobbyists. Despite Malaysia’s ban on exporting the spider, it is common in international markets, including the United States, which has a high demand for exotic pets.

They are native to an area of about 10 square miles on the western side of Malaysia, in the Fraser’s Hill region. The creatures live in burrows that they seal with silk, making them easy to locate. There is no known population estimate, but it is likely small due to the size of its habitat range. In addition to poachers, deforestation threatens the extinction of species.

Exotics Unlimited retails the spiders at $99, while Hardcore Arachnids sells them for $150. The Malaysian tarantula costs over twice as much as common pet breeds like the rose-hair tarantula or the Honduran curly-hair tarantula. Several tarantulas, including the Texas brown tarantula and the Arizona blond tarantula, are native to the southwestern United States.

“These spiders are highly sought after by collectors due to their striking appearance and low space requirements, which make them especially appealing to individuals living in urban environments,” the center wrote about tarantulas in its petition.

Data on the trade of the Malaysian spider is difficult to track because it is not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Law Enforcement Management Information System, hobbyists imported 261 spiders between 2016 and 2024, of which 23 were declared wild-sourced.

“Purple-femur tarantulas need U.S. protections now, but Malaysia and other importing countries also need to take more action to stop trade,” Shepherd said. “The exotic pet market is international, and it will take a global effort to keep this amazing tarantula safe at home on its hill in Malaysia.”

A study from the center, released on Dec. 8, found that the U.S. imports an average of more than 90 million live animals each year, with over 46,000 arachnids imported every day. More than 30% of all pet imports from 2016 to 2024 were taken from their natural habitats. The U.S. imported 12.5 million animals considered threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature during that time span.

“It’s alarming how many wild animals are imported to become pets in the U.S. every year. This massive trade puts immense pressure on increasingly vulnerable species and the places where they live,” Dianne DuBois, a senior scientist at the center, said of the report. “Pet store policies and labeling are often confusing, so most consumers probably don’t realize the fish or lizard they bought their child is worsening the global extinction crisis.”

According to the center, the transnational illegal pet trade poses a risk to humans as well, as species can facilitate the spread of zoonotic diseases, as seen in the recent emergence of viruses such as SARS and COVID-19. Exotic pets that escape or are released in the U.S. can also devastate native wildlife.

“The Malaysian purple-femur tarantula faces an escalating risk of extinction across its already restricted and ecologically specialized mountainous range,” the center wrote in its petition. “While habitat loss and the growing impacts of climate change present significant threats, illegal collection to supply the international exotic pet trade represents the most immediate and severe danger to this species’ survival.”