Wellington Zoo has become the first zoo in 20 years to successfully breed Goliath bird-eating tarantulas.
It is also the first time the "beautiful" spiders have ever been bred in Australasia, said the zoo's team leader of reptiles and invertebrates, Dave Laux.
![If spiders aren't your thing, Wellington Zoo also has baby nyala to look at. Photo / Wellington Zoo](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/Y67I5T5P76OHRER2EW7EDGLSFU.jpg?auth=85e4fc2f3541880939acd40f9fc32671d84de31babdf1927b7e81c28f93e2772&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)
The massive spiders, which can have a leg span up to 30cm - about the size of a dinner plate - are the largest species of arachnid in the world.
"When we drop to level 2 our doors will be reopening, we will have some new babies for our visitors," he said.