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Category: Invertebrates

Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula (Ambassador Animal)

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Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula

(Grammostola pulchripes)

The Golden Knee tarantula at the Zoo is named Dasiy. She came to the Zoo in April 2026.

Animal Facts

Golden knee tarantulas are ambush predators and do not use webs like other spiders, instead they wait patiently near their burrows for prey to come within striking distance.
They are common in the international pet trade.
Female tarantulas are typically larger than the males, being more robust and bulkier, while males are generally slimmer with longer legs.
Predators include weasels, hawks, owls, skinks and snakes.

Diet

They are Carnivorous eating smaller anthropoids and occasionally lizards and rodents

Status in The Wild

  • Not Evaluated

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

Chilean rose-haired tarantulas are found in Grasslands in the Gran Chaco region.

Although this species is not currently threatened with extinction, it still faces significant challenges in its natural habitat. Grasslands in the Gran Chaco region and similar ecosystems are declining due to human development, especially urbanization and agriculture. Climate change is also having an impact, as tarantulas and other spiders are particularly sensitive to shifts in temperature and weather patterns. In addition, pesticides can disrupt their sensory systems and alter their foraging behavior, affecting their longevity, reproduction, development, and overall health.

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Giant African Millipede (Ambassador Animal)

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Giant African Millipede

(Archispirostreptus gigas)

These are the largest of the thousands of species of millipede. Although the name millipede means “thousand-feet,” the giant African millipede only has about 300 to 400 legs.

Animal Facts

Millipedes have up to 750 legs but they are only born with six.
For each body segment, they have four legs (as opposed to the centipede that has two legs per segment).
They secrete cyanide poisoning when feeling threatened, which harms their predators if they try to eat a millipede.
Millipedes have a very hard exoskeleton for protection.
They are nocturnal “nutrient recyclers”, breaking down plant matter on the forest floor, making it available for smaller animals and plants.

Diet

Organic matter, decayed plant material such as leaves and wood, occasionally on living plant roots and rootlets. Sometimes they feed on dead earthworms and insects.

Status in The Wild

  • Least Concern

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

Found throughout Tanzania, in rainforests, found under logs and stones. They prefer tropical forest floor.

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Mombasa Golden Starburst Tarantula

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Mombasa Golden Starburst Tarantula

(Pterinochilus murinus)

Seneca Park Zoo is home to one Mombasa golden starburst tarantula, which can be found inside the Animals of the Savanna building.

Animal Facts

This species is commonly referred to as the orange baboon tarantula, because of its color and confrontational nature.
Although their venom is not lethal to humans, the starburst tarantula has an extremely painful bite – known to be even more painful than a rattlesnake bite.
These tarantulas are typically bright orange in color, but are sometimes found in dark and red color variations depending on their geographical location.

Diet

As carnivores, these tarantulas feed on invertebrates and small animals such as lizards, rodents and birds.

Status in The Wild

  • Not Evaluated

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

These tarantulas are found in Angola, sub-Saharan Africa and the island of Zanzibar.

They are ground-dwellers found in a variety of habitats, including bushes, low trees and burrows under rocks.

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Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (Ambassador Animal)

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Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

(Gromphadorhina portentosa)

Seneca Park Zoo raises a colony of Madagascar hissing cockroaches, both young and old and both males and females.

Animal Facts

When threatened, they hiss by forcibly pushing air out of tiny breathing holes.
Males can be distinguished by small – but prominent – bumpy horns near their head that are used to intimidate rival males during breeding.
They hiss when disturbed or when defending territory, and to attract a mate, males hiss more than females
Cockroaches are a very old insect species with some fossils estimated to be three hundred million years old!
Slow moving and docile, cannot fly.

Diet

Like other cockroaches, Madagascar hissing cockroaches are decomposers, meaning they feed on dead and decaying organic matter. They prefer plant sources such as fallen leaves and fruit.

Status in natural range

As the name suggests, Madagascar hissing cockroaches are only found in Madagascar, a large island nation off the southeast coast of mainland Africa. They prefer to live on the floor of tropical forests.

Although not yet evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they are considered not threatened because of their observable large population size. However, their forest habitats are some of the most threatened areas in Madagascar due to deforestation for mining and agricultural purposes. As decomposers, these cockroaches are important nutrient-cyclers in the local food chains.

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