CLP tarantula project featured in the international media

A project conserving tarantulas supported by the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP)  was featured in the international media last week, bringing much-needed attention to these often overlooked species.

Last year, a female-led team of early career conservationists received a CLP Future Conservationist Award to support their work conserving two threatened species of tarantulas in the Western Ghats, India.

Project leader, Aswathy Sankar Singh, carefully documenting the microhabitat parameters of a live tarantula burrow during field surveys in the Western Ghats, India- crucial data for understanding species-specific ecological requirements © Sangeeth K.R.

The team, led by Aswathy Sankar Singh, received a project grant as well as specialist training and further opportunities through our partnership of BirdLife International, Fauna & Flora and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

One such opportunity was their recent inclusion in Fauna & Flora’s “Ten Species to Watch in 2026” list. This list was shared with various media outlets last week, generating features in IFL Science and BBC Wildlife Magazine, among other international news outlets.

The IFL Science article specifically focused on Aswathy’s project and the psychedelic earth tiger (aka Indian rainbow tarantula) that she and her team are working to protect.

A female psychedelic earth tiger (Cilantica devamatha) in its natural habitat along the forest embankments of Kerala. Endemic to the southern Western Ghats © Mithun Das

The article said: “With the support of the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP), the Western Ghats team is working to safeguard the future of these tarantulas through field surveys, community engagement and awareness initiatives. They join scores of people working tirelessly across the globe to protect other weird and wonderful creatures.”

Want to join us on our mission? For the last 40 years, the CLP partnership has been working to develop the next generation of conservation leaders and support their vital work protecting threatened and overlooked species like the psychedelic earth tiger. If you want to support our mission or get involved, we’d love to hear from you: contact us at clp@birdlife.org.