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February 23, 2012
Tarantula startles Berlin train station staff
Published: 10 Aug 11 09:32 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20110810-36861.html
Workers at Berlin’s Ostbahnhof train station got a fright on Tuesday afternoon when a tarantula hopped out of a backpack that had been taken to the lost and found office.
- Milder weather on the way for the weekend (22 Feb 12)
- Hundreds of thousands have no electricity (22 Feb 12)
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When he returned to the lost and found to pick up the bag, he opened it and the five to six centimetre spider came out.
Startled workers called police officers, who trapped the animal in a lunchbox. An expert later identified the spider as an African species of tarantula that is not generally deadly, though can give an unpleasant bite.
While tarantulas look terrifying, no species is known to be deadly to people. Some African varieties, however, can cause great pain and even hallucinations when they bite.
It is not the only exotic spider appearance Germany has seen lately. Last month, a deadly Brazilian wandering spider jumped out of bananas at a Saarland supermarket, prompting the store’s temporary closure.
The Local/mdm
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