The spider of Pongaroa forest - Phil Sirvid

Spider enthusiasts are excited about a large arachnid found in the Pongaroa forest in the Tararua District, which - if photographs are anything to go by - is as large as a man's hand. The spider was initially identified as a burrowing spider, but spider expert Phil Sirvid now says they could have identified a new species. The Te Papa Science Collection Manager gets hundreds of requests each year to identify arachnids of all shapes and sizes - but he's particularly interested in this spider which looks to be a cousin of the tarantula.