The arachnid was a stowaway in a package of bananas from Ghana.
An unexpected encounter. This Monday, at the beginning of the afternoon, an employee of a supermarket in Castelnau-d’Estrétefonds (Haute-Garonne) came face to face with a large exotic spider while opening a package of bananas from the Ghana, reports The Dispatch.
Showing composure, he covered the spider with a box to prevent it from escaping, before contacting the fire department.
“A team of five firefighters from the unit specializing in animal risk was sent to the scene, says Lieutenant-Colonel Stéphane Théron at The Dispatch.
A Babouk spider
“They were able to decant the spider into a more suitable container and take it to the Toulouse veterinary school,” continues the firefighter.
The arachnid was a representative of the species Heteropoda Venatoria, also called Babouk spider. It lives in particular in exotic regions and can be found on the island of Reunion.
While not deadly or particularly dangerous, its bite can still be painful. It can especially cause a big blue scare.