Will Spiders Ever Go Extinct?
There are only three places on earth where spiders are not found – the oceans, the highest mountains, and the polar regions. Considering that spiders are important to humans as predators of pest species, it is vital to protect these creatures.
There are thousands of different species of spider. They are distributed on every continent. Some are specialists, while others are generalist predators. However, many of the spider species are undetermined, meaning that researchers haven’t been able to properly study them.
In the United States, there are about 3,500 species. They are all non-deadly to humans, but some have become endangered due to habitat loss. In Canada, there are about 350 species. In Europe, there are nearly 1,300 species.
There are a few rare and endangered spider species. These include the Kauai cave wolf spider, which lives in lava tube habitats in Hawaii. This species has been harmed by agricultural activities.
There is a lot of research being done on spiders, but much of it is in the early stages. Some studies have been done on conservation genetics and physiological ecology of spiders.
A number of spiders have been threatened because of habitat alteration. For example, deforestation, grazing, and urbanization have caused populations to decrease.
Some of the species have also been affected by pesticide overuse. One of the most endangered spiders is the Gibraltar funnel-web spider, which is protected by the Bern Convention and the European Union Habitats Directive.