Australian spiders: an opportunity for conservation

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 9 years ago

Abstract - Attempts to conserve invertebrates face many conceptual and practical problems. Spiders are one group of invertebrates with an undeserved bad public image, and it could be thought that any attempt to promote spider conservation in Australia would be seen as a waste of time and effort. The utilitarian values of and the threats to spiders are summarised. It is argued that spiders have one advantage over most over groups of invertebrates: they are well known, although not well appreciated, by most of the populace. It is suggested that spider conservation in Australia is at a stage where programmes emphasising the positive benefits of spiders may result in a more sympathetic attitude towards spiders.