>> male narrator: DEEP IN THE AMAZON JUNGLE, A LEGENDARY CREATURE LURKS, READY TO POUNCE. >> THIS WAS MUCH, MUCH BIGGER THAN ANY TARANTULA. >> SO WHEN IT WAS REARED UP, IT WOULD RAISE UP TO THE SIZE OF A HUMAN BEING. >> narrator: THE NATIVE PEOPLE HERE SAY IT IS BIG ENOUGH TO KILL THEIR LIVESTOCK, EVEN THEIR CHILDREN. >> THEY BUILD THEIR HUTS TO PROTECT THEM. >> narrator:<i> MONSTER QUEST</i> PROBES THE RAINFOREST ON FOOT, BY BOAT, AND ON PRIMITIVE JUNGLE ROADS IN SEARCH OF THESE GIANTS, EMPLOYING A HIGH-TECH CAMERA THAT CAN EVEN FOLLOW THEM UNDERGROUND. >> OKAY, IT'S--IT'S A BIG CHAMBER. >> narrator: PLUS A SECOND EXPEDITION SEARCHES THE DESERT FOR ANOTHER HUGE ARACHNID, ONE RUMORED TO BE FEASTING ON THE FLESH OF AMERICAN G.I.s IN IRAQ. >> IT HAD THE UGLIEST FANGS I EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. >> narrator: ARE GIANTS AMONG US? >> A BODY THE SIZE OF A HUBCAP WOULD HAVE FANGS PROBABLY EIGHT TO NINE INCHES, WHICH IS A CONSIDERABLE-- >> narrator: WITNESSES AROUND THE WORLD REPORT SEEING MONSTERS. ARE THEY REAL OR IMAGINARY? SCIENCE SEARCHES FOR ANSWERS ON <i>MONSTER QUEST.</i> Captioning by<font color="#00FF00"> CaptionMax</font> www.captionmax.com THIS IS THE AMAZON BASIN OF VENEZUELA, HOME TO A PRIMITIVE NATIVE INDIAN TRIBE CALLED THE PIAROA. BUT THE PEOPLE HERE SAY THIS JUNGLE IS HOME TO SOMETHING ELSE: MONSTER SPIDERS LARGER THAN ANY DOCUMENTED IN HISTORY OR SCIENCE, PREYING ON LOCAL ANIMALS. ONE WONDERS IF SUCH A THING COULD EXIST, AND YET REPORTS ARE NOTHING NEW. AROUND THE GLOBE, PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED ENCOUNTERS WITH HUGE ARACHNIDS. >> [speaking in native language] >> HIS BODY WAS THIS BIG. >> IT WAS BROWN IN COLOR, VERY THICK BODY, POWERFUL, THICK LEGS. >> IT HAD THE UGLIEST FANGS I EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. >> narrator: SIZES, DESCRIPTIONS, AND SPECIES VARY IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD, BUT ON THE EXTREME END OF THE SPECTRUM, EYEWITNESSES DESCRIBE SPECIMENS UP TO FIVE FEET ACROSS WITH HUGE FANGS AND HAIRY BODIES THE SIZE OF SMALL DOGS. THESE MONSTER-SIZED SPIDERS COULD BE A TYPE OF TARANTULA, THE LARGEST KNOWN SPIDERS IN THE WORLD. OR THEY COULD BE AN ENTIRELY NEW SPECIES, UNKNOWN TO SCIENCE. >> INVERTEBRATES PROBABLY EXHIBIT THE MOST DIVERSITY OF ANY SPECIES OR ANY ORGANISMS ON THE PLANET. IF YOU'RE SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SPIDERS, THERE'S ABOUT 50,000 KNOWN SPECIES TO DATE, AND THERE'S PROBABLY EASILY TEN TIMES MORE THAN THAT THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FOUND. >> narrator: THE LARGEST KNOWN TARANTULAS IN THE WORLD, CALLED THE GOLIATHS, ARE NATIVE TO THE AMAZON RAINFOREST OF SOUTH AMERICA. MANY SPIDER SPECIES CATCH AND KILL THEIR PREY WITH THE HELP OF A WEB, BUT THE GOLIATHS ARE FEROCIOUS PREDATORS SILENTLY STALKING THEIR VICTIMS BEFORE POUNCING TO DELIVER THE FATAL BLOW. THEIR FANGS ARE LARGE ENOUGH TO PIERCE THROUGH HUMAN SKIN, AND THEIR BODIES ARE COVERED WITH URTICATING OR STINGING HAIRS. IN AN ATTACK, THEY SHOOT THEM AT THEIR PREY, PUNCTURING THE SKIN LIKE SHARDS OF FIBERGLASS. NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO PRODUCE HARD EVIDENCE OF THESE SPIDERS OR ANY OTHERS LARGER THAN 10 1/2 INCHES. SO<i> MONSTER QUEST</i> IS SENDING ARACHNOLOGIST RICK WEST ON AN EXPEDITION INTO THE AMAZON RAINFOREST TO HUNT FOR A SPECIES LARGER THAN ANYTHING EVER DOCUMENTED. WEST IS TRAVELING TO VENEZUELA TO THE TINY TOWN OF PUERTO AYACUCHO. HERE HE MEETS AMAZON GUIDE JUAN CARLOS RAMIREZ. THE AMAZON IS 1.4 BILLION ACRES OF DENSE RAINFOREST TEEMING WITH POISONOUS DART FROGS, MILLIPEDES, AND ANACONDAS. IT'S NEARLY THE SIZE OF THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES, AND IT'S THE PERFECT HIDING PLACE FOR A GIANT SPECIES OF SPIDER. >> NEW SPECIES OF SPIDERS ARE BEING FOUND EVERY WEEK, EVERY MONTH, EVERY YEAR. SO THE POSSIBILITY OF FINDING A GIANT SPIDER, I THINK, IS VERY POSSIBLE, AND I HOPE TO SEE IT. >> narrator: REPORTS OF MONSTER SPIDERS ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE AMAZON RAINFOREST. THERE ARE OTHER PLACES AROUND THE GLOBE WITH STORIES OF GIANT SPIDER SIGHTINGS. ONE OF HISTORY'S MOST TERRIFYING GIANT SPIDER SIGHTINGS TOOK PLACE IN THE JUNGLES OF THE CONGO IN CENTRAL AFRICA. IT HAPPENED TO A BRITISH EXPLORER, R.K. LLOYD AND HIS WIFE, MARGUERITE. IN 1938, LLOYD AND HIS NEW BRIDE DECIDED TO GO ON AN ADVENTURE SAFARI FOR THEIR HONEYMOON. >> AS MR. AND MRS. LLOYD WERE DRIVING DOWN THIS JUNGLE TRACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CONGO RAINFOREST, THEY SAW A LARGE BUT VERY ODD LOOKING CREATURE CROSSING THE TRAIL AHEAD OF THEM. NOW, AT FIRST THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS EITHER A VERY LARGE MONKEY ON ALL FOURS OR MAYBE A LARGE JUNGLE CAT. BUT AS THEY GOT CLOSER TO THIS CREATURE, THEY WERE HORRIFIED TO SEE THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY A GIGANTIC SPIDER, SOMETHING LIKE A TARANTULA. >> narrator: ACCORDING TO LLOYD, THE SPIDER HAD A FOUR TO FIVE-FOOT LEG SPAN, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO DOCUMENT THE SIGHTING. AS LLOYD REACHED FOR HIS CAMERA, THE GIANT SPIDER SCURRIED BACK INTO THE FOREST AND DISAPPEARED. >> BACK IN THE OLD DAYS OF COLONIAL AFRICA, EXPLORERS, BIG GAME HUNTERS, FROM TIME TO TIME, THEY ENCOUNTER STRANGE ANIMALS, INCLUDING GIANT SPIDERS. BUT THEY OFTEN DON'T REPORT THESE OBSERVATIONS FOR FEAR OF JUST BEING RIDICULED. AFTER ALL, WHO'S GOING TO BELIEVE A STORY ABOUT A SPIDER WITH A LEG SPAN OF FOUR OR FIVE FEET? THAT'S ALMOST AS BIG AS A HUMAN BEING. >> narrator: DESPITE NUMEROUS SIGHTINGS AROUND THE WORLD, GIANT SPIDERS ARE UNKNOWN TO MODERN-DAY SCIENCE. BUT HISTORY DOES MAKE A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH A MONSTER. 390 MILLION YEARS AGO, THERE WERE GIANT PREHISTORIC CREATURES CALLED<i> JAEKELOPTERUS RHENANIAE,</i> MEASURING SOME EIGHT FEET IN LENGTH. >><i> JAEKELOPTERUS RHENANIAE</i> WAS A VERY LARGE SEA SCORPION, A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN A CROCODILE OR A REALLY GOOD-SIZED CROCODILE. IT ATE VERY LARGE FISH AND ANYTHING ELSE IT COULD--WITH THAT SIZE, ANYTHING IT COULD GRAB, IT WOULD EAT, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF ITS OWN KIND. IT WAS DEFINITELY THE TOP PREDATOR OF ITS DAY. >> narrator: A FOSSILIZED CLAW OF THIS CREATURE WAS FOUND IN 2007 IN GERMANY. IT ALONE MEASURED MORE THAN A FOOT AND A HALF LONG, SUGGESTING CREATURES LIKE SCORPIONS AND SPIDERS ONCE GREW TO MONSTER-SIZED PROPORTIONS. >> PEOPLE ALWAYS KNEW THAT THERE WAS OTHER LARGE ARACHNIDS AND ARTHROPODS IN THE PAST, BUT NO ONE REALLY KNEW HOW BIG THEY COULD GET. >> narrator: BUT IF THERE IS EVIDENCE OF A GIANT ARACHNID 390 MILLION YEARS AGO, COULD ONE STILL EXIST IN THE REMOTE REGIONS OF THE WORLD? IT'S DAY ONE OF THIS<i> MONSTER</i> <i> QUEST</i> EXPEDITION IN VENEZUELA: THEIR FIRST STOP, THE SMALL TOWN OF SAN RAFAEL DE MANUARE ON THE COLUMBIA-VENEZUELA BORDER. HERE WEST AND RAMIREZ ARE LOOKING FOR FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS OF GIANT SPIDERS LURKING IN THE NEARBY JUNGLE. >> OKAY,<i> GRACIAS.</i> >> narrator: AND THEY ARE LED TO THIS MAN, A PIAROA SHAMAN, THE GATEKEEPER TO THE SPIRIT WORLD. >> [speaking native language] >> HE'S TELLING THAT A PERSON IN THE VILLAGE SAW--WELL, THEY BELIEVE IT WAS A TARANTULA, BUT THEY ACTUALLY SAW IT TAKING A DOG. >> REALLY? >> TAKING A DOG FROM THE VILLAGE INTO THE JUNGLE. >> narrator: WHEN HE WAS A BOY, AS THE STORY GOES, A GIANT TARANTULA CREPT OUT OF THE JUNGLE AND INTO THE VILLAGE, WHERE IT CAUGHT A SMALL DOG IN ITS VISELIKE GRIP. THERE WAS NO CHANCE OF ESCAPE. THE SPIDER DELIVERED A FATAL DOSE OF POISON, THEN PROCEEDED TO DRAG THE DOG INTO THE FOREST. >> [speaking native language] >> FOR SOMETHING TO TAKE DOWN A DOG. >> IT HAS TO BE MASSIVE. >> HOW BIG WOULD HE SAY IT IS? CAN HE SHOW US WITH HIS HANDS, ROUGHLY? >> HE'S SHOWING THE SIZE OF THE ABDOMEN. >> THAT'S JUST THE ABDOMEN. >> YEAH, SO BIGGER THAN A BASKETBALL. >><i> ASI ALTA?</i> <i>CUANDO LEVANTABA LAS PATAS?</i> >><i> SI.</i> >> SO WHEN IT WAS REARED UP, IT WOULD RAISE UP TO THE SIZE OF A HUMAN BEING. >> narrator: A SPIDER AS BIG AS A MAN IS MASSIVE. BUT WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE? IS IT POSSIBLE THE LOCALS ARE SEEING SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY, A MONKEY OR A LARGE THREE-TOED SLOTH? >> IT NEVER CROSSES MY MIND THAT THEY'RE MISTAKING THIS FOR ANY OTHER BIG ANIMAL IN THE JUNGLE. THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT A TARANTULA LOOKS LIKE, AND THEY'RE ACCURATE ON WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. >> narrator: WEST AND RAMIREZ ARE MOVING ON, ONE STEP CLOSER TO FINDING THEIR GIANT. FROM THE VILLAGE, THEY HEAD DOWN THE ORINOCO RIVER TO THEIR BASE CAMP AT THE ORINOQUIA LODGE. THE SPIDERS THEY ARE LOOKING FOR WILL MOST LIKELY BE BURROWED DEEP BENEATH THE GROUND, SO WEST HAS COME ARMED WITH A SPECIAL CAMERA, GE'S XL VIDEO PROBE, TO HELP HIM PEER DEEP INTO THEIR LAIR. >> THIS ENDOSCOPE HAS A VERY LONG FEED CABLE THAT WE CAN PUT DOWN INTO THE BURROW. >> narrator: THE PROBE IS NORMALLY USED BY THE AERONAUTIC INDUSTRY TO SEE INSIDE EQUIPMENT LIKE AIRCRAFT ENGINES AND BY POLICE TO CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE IN TIGHT SPACES. THE DEVICE HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR THIS PURPOSE BEFORE. >> AND IF THERE IS ONE THERE AND WE WANT TO GET HER OUT BECAUSE SHE LOOKS ENORMOUS THEN WE CAN GO AT IT. I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO GET IN THE JUNGLE AND USE THAT. >> narrator: EXISTING EVIDENCE OF GIANT SPIDERS IS SPARSE, BUT IN 2004, THIS PHOTO FROM IRAQ OF AN EIGHT-LEGGED MONSTER SURFACED ON THE INTERNET AND BEGAN SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE. THE PICTURE SHOWS WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN ENORMOUS ALIEN-LOOKING CREATURE. THE PHOTO ISN'T THE ONLY PURPORTED EVIDENCE OF THESE DESERT CREATURES. FANTASTIC STORIES COMING BACK FROM THE MIDDLE EAST TELL OF THIS CREATURE EATING THE STOMACHS OF CAMELS, RACING ALONG THE DESERT FLOOR AT SPEEDS OF 25 MILES AN HOUR, AND HAVING AN APPETITE FOR HUMAN FLESH. THEY ARE CALLED CAMEL SPIDERS, A KNOWN ANIMAL. BUT ARE THESE PHOTOS AND STORIES HOAXES OR EVIDENCE THAT CAMEL SPIDERS GROW TO BE GIANTS? <i>MONSTER QUEST</i> TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT THESE STORIES TO SEE IF THEY ARE MORE THAN URBAN LEGENDS. AND FOR BIOLOGICAL CLUES, WE HEAD TO TEXAS TO THE RUGGED DESERT OF SEMINOLE CANYON STATE PARK ON THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER. LIKE THE IRAQI DESERT, IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE MANY PLACES AROUND THE WORLD WHERE THESE CREATURES ARE SAID TO LURK. IN TEXAS THEY ARE KNOWN AS <i>MATEVENADOS</i> OR DEER KILLERS. >> WE HAVE EVERYTHING? >> WE'VE GOT IT. >> WE GOOD? LET'S DO IT. >> narrator: HEADING THE EXPEDITION IS KRISTIE REDDICK OF TEXAS A&M. JOINING HER IS FELLOW ENTOMOLOGIST JESSICA HONAKER. REDDICK AND HONAKER WILL SPEND THE NEXT TWO DAYS SCOURING THE SUN-SCORCHED DESERT AND ROCKY TERRAIN FOR THESE EIGHT-LEGGED CREATURES. IF THEY FIND ANY OUTSIDE SPECIMENS OR ANATOMICAL ABNORMALITIES, IT COULD LEND CREDENCE TO REPORTS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST. THEIR TOOLS INCLUDE CAMERA TRAPS AND SPIDER-SENSITIVE TRACKING LIGHTS. THEY BEGIN DAY ONE IN THE NORTH SECTION OF THE PARK. >> THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT SPECIES ALL ACROSS THE SORT OF SOUTHWEST OF AMERICA UP INTO COLORADO, WYOMING. WE'RE DEALING WITH A JUNE, JULY, SORT OF MONTHLONG TIME TO FIND THEM. THEY CAN BE FOUND LATER AND EARLIER, BUT THIS IS SORT OF THE PRIME TIME FOR SOLIFUGID ACTIVITY. >> narrator: WILL REDDICK AND HONAKER CATCH THE ELUSIVE DESERT DEMON THEY'RE LOOKING >> narrator: AROUND THE WORLD, LEGENDS ARE TOLD OF GIANT SPIDERS WITH A LEG SPAN OF FIVE FEET OR MORE. IN IRAQ, SOME SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE ALLEGEDLY BEEN BITTEN BY A GIANT DESERT PREDATOR CALLED A CAMEL SPIDER. STORIES COMING BACK FROM THE BATTLEFIELD TELL OF A FLESH- EATING CREATURE WITH ENORMOUS JAWS, THE CREATURE THE SIZE OF A SMALL CAT. THESE G.I.s HAVE HEARD THE STORIES. >> THE ONES I'VE SEEN ARE ALMOST AS LARGE AS MY HAND, NOT QUITE BUT ALMOST, AND I HAVE SOME BIG HANDS. >> IT HAD THE UGLIEST FANGS I EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. IF YOU EVER SAW<i> THE PREDATOR,</i> THAT'S EXACTLY HOW THEIR MOUTH LOOKED. >> I DON'T FEAR A LOT OF THINGS, BUT THAT SPIDER IN PARTICULAR JUST SENT CHILLS DOWN MY SPINE. >> narrator: THIS PICTURE FROM IRAQ SURFACED ON THE INTERNET. BUT IS THIS EVIDENCE OF AN EIGHT-LEGGED MONSTER IN THE IRAQI DESERT OR A PHOTOGRAPHIC FAKE? OUR EXPERT WILL ANALYZE THIS EVIDENCE. THESE SPIDERS ARE ALSO RUMORED TO ATTACK G.I.s AT NIGHT. BUT ARE THESE REAL ENCOUNTERS OR URBAN LEGENDS? IN THE DESERTS OF IRAQ, AS THE STORIES GO, A SERVICEMAN IS ABOUT TO BED DOWN FOR THE NIGHT. HE SETTLES IN TO HIS COT, BUT BENEATH IT, SOMETHING LIES IN WAIT. AS THE LIGHTS TURN OFF, THE CREATURE CRAWLS BENEATH THE SHEETS TOWARDS HIS ARM. THE CREATURE TEARS INTO HIS FLESH, DELIVERING A DOSE OF NUMBING ANESTHETIC WITH ITS VENOM. THE SOLDIER FEELS NOTHING AS HE SLEEPS. >> THE SPIDER IS SHEARING CHUNKS OF FLESH AWAY. OF COURSE, HE DOESN'T REALIZE ANY OF THIS BECAUSE OF THIS ANESTHETIC THAT'S BEEN DISTRIBUTED. >> narrator: WHEN THE SOLDIER WAKES UP THE NEXT MORNING, HIS ARM IS COVERED IN BLOOD, THE FLESH AND MUSCLE EATEN AWAY. KRISTIE REDDICK AND HER PARTNER JESSICA HONAKER ARE ON THE HUNT FOR CAMEL SPIDERS IN SEMINOLE CANYON OUTSIDE DEL RIO, TEXAS. THEY ARE SKEPTICAL THAT GIANT CAMEL SPIDERS EXIST BUT ARE OPEN TO LOOKING FOR ONE. >> AND REMEMBER, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE NECESSARILY UNDER THE HUGE ROCKS. >> narrator: KNOWN CAMEL SPIDERS ARE NOT SPIDERS AT ALL BUT A CLOSE COUSIN CALLED A SOLIFUGE. CAMEL SPIDER IS A POPULAR TERM FOR THEM. THE NAME ORIGINATES FROM THE LATIN TERM "FLEEING FROM THE SUN." SOLIFUGIDS, LIKE OTHER ARACHNIDS, HAVE AN EXOSKELETON AND EIGHT LEGS BUT CAN RUN FASTER THAN MOST SPIDERS AND USE POWERFUL JAWS TO TEAR APART THEIR PREY, AS SEEN IN THIS VIDEO SUPPLIED TO<i> MONSTER QUEST</i> BY A G.I. IN IRAQ. IT SHOWS A CAMEL SPIDER THAT HAS HAULED A SMALL LIZARD UP A WALL AND IS NOW CONSUMING IT. >> THEY'RE VERY ACTIVE HUNTERS. THEY HAVE HUGE, POWERFUL JAWS, AND THEY BASICALLY JUST EVISCERATE AND MACERATE THEIR PREY. >> narrator: BUT ARE THEY GETTING AS LARGE AS THE INTERNET STORIES PURPORT? REDDICK AND HONAKER CONTINUE THEIR SEARCH IN THE FRONT LINES OF TEXAS. >> I GOT NOTHING. >> LIKEWISE. WE SHOULD TRY TO MOVE THAT ONE. >> I THINK IT'S TOO DRY HERE. I THINK-- >> MOVE A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE CANYON EDGE? [grunts] IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY HAVE A RADAR OUT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THEM. >> WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THEM, YOU CAN'T FIND THEM. >> AND WHEN YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR THEM, THEY HIDE IN YOUR SLEEPING BAG. >> narrator: THEY ARE COMING UP EMPTY, BUT THEN A DISCOVERY. >> KRIS, HERE'S A TARANTULA OVER HERE. >> GET IT, GET IT, GET IT. OH, HE'S GORGEOUS. NICE. [laughter] SO THIS IS A MALE TEXAS BROWN TARANTULA, AND THEY'RE REALLY COMMON IN THIS AREA, BUT OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN REALLY SCARCE. >> narrator: BUT THIS IS NOT THE SPIDER THEY ARE LOOKING FOR. THEY RELEASE IT AND CONTINUE ON. NO ONE HAS COME FORWARD TO SAY WHERE AND WHEN THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN, BUT DANNY MENDEZ OF THE LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER IN NEW JERSEY ANALYZES THE PHOTO. >> HERE YOU HAVE ESSENTIALLY THIS GIANT TANGLE OF LEGS AND FANGS AND ARMS, AND IT LOOKS ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SCALE OF THE SOLDIER'S LEG BEHIND IT. >> narrator: THE BIGGEST SPECIMEN OF THE CREATURE EVER FOUND IN THE MIDEAST WAS SIX INCHES LONG. BUT THE MONSTER IN THE PICTURE IS CLAIMED TO BE SIX TIMES THE SIZE. COULD THIS BE A NEWER, LARGER, MORE FEROCIOUS SPECIES? >> LOOKING AT THIS PICTURE, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE LOOKING AT ONE GIANT ORGANISM WHEN, IN FACT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT TWO. >> narrator: THE PICTURE SHOWS ONE CAMEL SPIDER CLINGING TO THE SECOND WITH ITS POWERFUL JAWS. >> YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT THERE'S TWO SMALLER AND SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER SPIDERS THERE AND NOT THE ONE BIG ONE THAT YOU WOULD THINK OF BY LOOKING AT THIS FIRST PICTURE. BY LOOKING AT THE SCALE ACCORDING TO THE HAND AND THE CUFF OF THE SOLDIER UP HERE, I'D SAY THOSE ARE PROBABLY NO BIGGER THAN ABOUT FIVE TO SIX INCHES APIECE. >> narrator: SO THE ANGLE OF THE PHOTO AND THE POSITION OF THE CAMERA MAKES THE CREATURE LOOK MUCH LARGER. BACK IN TEXAS, NIGHT FALLS AS REDDICK AND HONAKER SET UP MOTION SENSING CAMERAS TO AID IN THEIR SEARCH. THEY TRAIN THE CAMERA'S LASER TARGETING BEAM ONTO THEIR BAIT, A FLESHY PIG'S FOOT MEANT TO TEST WHETHER A CAMEL SPIDER WILL EAT THE FLESH OF A LARGER ANIMAL. >> IF IT COMES, WE'LL CATCH IT ON THE CAMERA, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY GONNA HAVE TO GNAW INTO THAT FLESH AND TEAR CHUNKS OF IT OFF IF IT COMES. >> narrator: NEXT, THEY HEAD OUT UNDER THE LIGHT OF THE MOON IN SEARCH OF EVIDENCE. >> THEY LIVE IN RUGGED HABITATS, SO IT'S ALWAYS HARD. IT'S HOT. IT'S DRY. AND THEY'RE SO FAST THAT IF YOU DO ROLL A ROCK AND FIND ONE, YOU'VE GOT TO BE ON YOUR GAME TO EVEN GET IT. >> narrator: THEY SET UP A LOW-TECH BUT VERY EFFECTIVE TRAP TO DRAW THE CAMEL SPIDERS TO THEM: A SIMPLE LANTERN. >> WHAT THIS IS GONNA DO IS, IT'S GONNA ATTRACT SORT OF FLYING INSECTS AND CRAWLING INSECTS AND THAT, IN TURN, WILL HOPEFULLY ATTRACT SOME SOLIFUGES. >> narrator: AND BACK IN VENEZUELA, DAY TWO OF THE EXPEDITION IS UNDER WAY TO FIND A MONSTER-SIZED SPIDER. RICK WEST AND JUAN CARLOS RAMIREZ RETURN TO THE VILLAGE OF SAN RAFAEL DE MANUARE FOR A MORE EXTENSIVE SEARCH. THE SHAMAN TAKES THEM DEEP INTO THE JUNGLE, WHERE A HUGE SPIDER MAY HAVE DRAGGED A SMALL DOG TO SHOW THEM HOW TO CATCH ANY GIANT SPIDERS THEY ENCOUNTER. ALTHOUGH SPIDERS HAVE EIGHT EYES, THEY SEE VERY POORLY. INSTEAD THEY RELY ON VIBRATIONS TO SENSE IF PREY IS NEARBY. THE SHAMAN LEADS THEM TO A DEN THAT LIKELY HOLDS A SPIDER. USING A VINE, HE SLOWLY DRAWS THE CREATURE OUT. >> OH, I CAN SEE IT. >> THAT'S A BIG ONE. >> narrator: AS IT EMERGES FROM ITS LAIR, THEY CAN SEE IT'S BIG. BUT IT IS NOT THEIR MONSTER. THE SHAMAN LURES MORE SPIDERS FROM THEIR UNDERWORLD... AND PREPARES THEM FOR THIS RARELY SEEN MEAL. HE REMOVES ITS INSIDES BEFORE PLACING THE BODY ON THE FIRE FOR GRILLING. >> HE SAID THAT SINCE HE WAS A CHILD--WHEN HE WOULD GO OUT HUNTING WITH HIS FATHER, AND THIS WOULD BE THE MAIN SUPPLY OF FOOD WHEN THEY WERE AWAY FOR WEEKS, HUNTING IN THE FOREST. IT'S VERY HOT. >> I GUESS I'VE GOT TO DO IT, DON'T I? >> YES, YOU DO. >><i> BUENO.</i> IT'S GOOD. >> MM-HMM. >> narrator: WEST AND RAMIREZ CONTINUE ON TO THE VILLAGE OF GAVILAN, WHERE RAMIREZ HAS RECEIVED WORD THAT SOMEONE HAS SEEN THESE CREATURES. THEY ARRIVE INTO TOWN AS SOME OF THE VILLAGERS ARE PREPARING TRADITIONAL YUCCA BREAD. >> [speaking native language] >> HE SAYS THAT THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY ATTACKS IN THIS VILLAGE, BUT HE HAS HEARD DEEPER INTO THE MOUNTAINS AND IN THE NEIGHBORING VILLAGE THAT HE HAS HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. >> ABOUT THE GIANT TARANTULAS. >> ATTACKING CHICKENS. >> REALLY? >> SO THAT'S SOME HOPE. >> SO WE NEED TO GO FURTHER UP INTO THE MOUNTAINS TOWARDS OTHER VILLAGES. OKAY. >> OKAY,<i> GRACIAS.</i> >><i> GRACIAS.</i> >> narrator: THE AMAZON IS NOT THE ONLY PLACE WHERE SPIDERS ARE A SOURCE OF FEAR AND FASCINATION. THEY ARE ANCIENT CREATURES GOING BACK MILLIONS OF YEARS THAT HAVE BECOME PART OF HUMAN FOLKLORE AROUND THE WORLD FROM ARACHNE, THE MYTHICAL HALF WOMAN-HALF SPIDER OF ANCIENT GREECE TO A NAVAJO SPIDER WOMAN WHO'S BEEN SAID TO STEAL SMALL CHILDREN AND CARRY THEM BACK TO HER LAIR. >> [screaming] >> narrator: EVEN "B" MOVIES FROM A BLACK-AND-WHITE HOLLYWOOD VILIFY SPIDERS. TO MILLIONS, SPIDERS ARE THE CAUSE OF DEBILITATING FEAR, CREATURES THEY BELIEVE WILL CAUSE HARM AND DEATH, THE TRUE EMBODIMENT OF DREAD. >> MOST PEOPLE HAVE A FEAR OF SPIDERS BECAUSE THEY ARE KIND OF CREEPY. THERE'S NOT MUCH KNOWN ABOUT THEM. THEY HANG OUT IN THE CORNERS OF YOUR HOUSE. VERY LITTLE SPIDERS LIKE BLACK WIDOWS, WHICH ARE LESS THAN AN INCH IN DIAMETER, CAN BITE YOU AND POSSIBLY KILL YOU. >> narrator: RICK WEST AND JUAN CARLOS RAMIREZ HAVE MOVED FROM THE VENEZUELAN TOWN OF GAVILAN TO THE MOUNTAINS IN THEIR SEARCH FOR A GIANT SPIDER, A CREATURE SAID TO BE TERRORIZING THE REGION. >> FOR A SPIDER TO BE ABLE TO GRAB A DOG OR A CHICKEN, IT MUST HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, SO MASSIVE AND SO SLOW IN A WAY. EVEN IT WOULD BE SCARY TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> narrator: THEY HAD BEEN TOLD THAT A GIANT SPIDER MAY LIVE NEAR THE REMOTE VILLAGE OF PANDARI. BUT THEN DISASTER STRIKES. THE BACK TIRE DROPS THROUGH THE LOG BRIDGE, JAMMING THE VEHICLE TO A HALT. >> WELL, WE WERE HEADING INTO A REMOTE VILLAGE CALLED PANDARI, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BRIDGES ARE EXTREMELY PRIMITIVE. THIS WAS THE LAST BRIDGE THAT WE WERE TO CROSS. WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA GET THE VEHICLE OUT TODAY. THIS COULD BE THE END OF OUR GIANT TARANTULA JOURNEY. HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THE VEHICLE OUT AND GET ON OUR WAY, BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE, AND I DON'T HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR THIS. >> narrator: AN HOUR IN THE BLAZING SUN LEAVES THE TEAM FRUSTRATED. >> IF WE STUCK ANOTHER PLANK ON TOP OF THAT ONE. >> HE WANTS TO TRY IT THAT WAY. >> IT'S PRETTY GREASY. I DON'T KNOW. [engine turning] >> narrator: FINALLY, AFTER BEING DELAYED FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS, THEY BREAK FREE. >> WHEN YOU'RE IN SUCH A REMOTE AREA, THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN. I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE'LL MISS, YOU KNOW, A DAY, CAMP OUT HERE, WAIT, YOU KNOW, WALK SOMEWHERE. BUT I THINK WE'RE--WE'RE A LITTLE LUCKY. >> narrator: THEY CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY AND ARRIVE IN THE VILLAGE OF PANDARI TO RESUME THEIR SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE. THEY ARE MET BY SIMONE AND HIS FATHER ANTONIO, WHO TELL OF VILLAGERS WHO HAVE DISAPPEARED, NEVER TO RETURN. >> [speaking native language] >> THERE'S BEEN MANY DEAD. SOME, THEY ARE RELATED TO TARANTULA ATTACKS, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NOT--THEY HAVE NOT SEEN IT. >> SO WHAT HE'S SAYING IS SOME PEOPLE HAVE DIED OR DISAPPEARED DUE TO WHAT THEY BELIEVE ARE GIANT TARANTULA ATTACKS? >> EXACTLY. WHEN THEY LEFT THEIR GARDENS. SO THEY WALK AT NIGHT, AND SOME DIDN'T RETURN. >> narrator: NOT ONLY DO THE VILLAGERS HERE TALK OF MASSIVE SPIDERS. <i>MONSTER QUEST</i> DISCOVERS THEY ENGINEER THEIR VILLAGE AGAINST THEM. IS THIS TANGIBLE PROOF THAT SOMETHING IS OUT THERE? >> ARE THEY AFRAID OF TARANTULAS COMING INTO THEIR DWELLINGS? >> [speaking native language] >> [speaking native language] >> THEY BUILD THEIR HUTS WITH THE THATCHED ROOF THAT GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE GROUND. THEY SEEK FOR THAT ADDITIONAL PROTECTION, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT TARANTULAS COULD COME INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND TAKE AWAY THEIR CHILDREN. >> REALLY. THAT'S AMAZING. >> narrator: THE SPIDER IN THIS STORY IS JUST THE KIND WEST AND RAMIREZ ARE LOOKING FOR. ARMED WITH A VIDEO PROBE, THEY GEAR UP AND HEAD INTO THE JUNGLE TO HUNT FOR THE GIANT. AS THEY VENTURE DEEPER INTO THE FOREST, SOMETHING CATCHES WEST'S EYE. >> HEY, JUAN CARLOS, THERE'S ONE OVER HERE. >> narrator: A SPIDER DEN, AND IT'S BIG. >> LOOK AT THAT. >> WHOA, THAT'S HUGE. >> I MEAN, THAT'S--THAT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THAT'S MADE BY A SPIDER, BUT THAT'S GONNA BE A--THAT'S GONNA BE A TRULY GIANT SPIDER. >> narrator: DESPITE THE EYEWITNESS DESCRIPTIONS, EUGENE FUZY IS SKEPTICAL A SPIDER COULD GROW TO MONSTER-SIZED PROPORTIONS. >> WITH THE CURRENT ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS, VERY LARGE SPIDERS, LARGER THAN A BASKETBALL WITH FOUR- TO FIVE- FOOT LEG SPAN IS PROBABLY UNLIKELY DUE TO OXYGEN RESTRICTIONS. THEY HAVE VERY POOR CIRCULATORY SYSTEM WHERE THEY USE BOOK LUNGS TO TRANSPORT AIR THROUGH THEIR BODIES. >> narrator: A SPIDER'S LUNGS ARE ARRANGED IN A SERIES OF CHAMBERS THAT LOOK LIKE THE PAGES OF A BOOK. >> AT OUR CURRENT RATE OF 21% OXYGEN IN THE AIR, IT'S VERY UNLIKELY THAT A SPIDER WOULD BE ABLE TO GET ENOUGH OXYGEN TO SUPPORT THAT SIZE. >> narrator: OXYGEN LEVELS 390 MILLION YEARS AGO, AT A TIME OTHER GIANT ARACHNIDS FLOURISHED, WERE NEARLY 65% HIGHER THAN THEY ARE TODAY. BUT IF A MONSTER-SIZED SPIDER EXISTED, HOW BIG WOULD ITS FANGS BE? USING A HIGH-POWERED ELECTRON MICROSCOPE, FUZY ENLARGES A ONE-INCH TARANTULA FANG TO MONSTER-SIZED PROPORTIONS. >> A SPIDER WITH A BODY THE SIZE OF A HUBCAP WOULD HAVE FANGS PROBABLY AT LEAST SIX INCHES LONG, PROBABLY CLOSER TO EIGHT TO NINE INCHES, WHICH IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT. YOU DEFINITELY WOULDN'T WANT TO GET BIT BY THAT. THEIR FANGS COULD PROBABLY EASILY GO THROUGH A SNEAKER, THROUGH YOUR FOOT AND THROUGH THE RUBBER SOUL ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SNEAKER WITH NO PROBLEM. >> narrator: TARANTULA FANGS ARE ONE OF NATURE'S MOST POTENT CONTRAPTIONS. EACH FANG ACTS LIKE A SYRINGE, INJECTING THE SPIDER'S VICTIM WITH VENOM. THE VENOM QUICKLY TURNS THE INSIDES OF THEIR PREY INTO LIQUID BEFORE IT IS CONSUMED, LEAVING BEHIND A HOLLOW SHELL OF SKIN AND BONE. NOT ALL SPIDER HORROR STORIES EMANATE FROM FAR-FLUNG COUNTRIES. THIS MASSIVE WEB WAS DISCOVERED IN 2007 BY PARK OFFICIALS IN LAKE TAWAKONI STATE PARK IN NORTH TEXAS. IT WAS AS BIG AS TWO FOOTBALL FIELDS. >> WITHIN A FEW DAYS, IT HAD TURNED GRAY JUST FROM THE AMOUNT OF MOSQUITOES IT WAS CATCHING. IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF THERE WERE--YOU KNOW, IF A SONGBIRD OR SOME OTHER SORT OF SMALL BIRD FLEW IN. >> narrator: COULD IT HAVE BEEN CREATED BY A LARGER, UNKNOWN SPIDER, OR WAS IT MANY SPIDERS WORKING TOGETHER TO CAPTURE PREY? >> RESEARCHERS ARE STILL LOOKING AT THAT SPIDERWEB AND STILL COLLECTING SPIDER SAMPLES AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE. BUT THAT'S MY GUESS IS THAT IT WAS EITHER ONE--A COUPLE OF SPECIES OF SPIDERS THAT MAKE A LOT OF SILK OR JUST A BUNCH OF BABIES ALL HATCHING OUT-- SPIDERLINGS HATCHING OUT AT THE SAME TIME. BUT I THINK IT HAS SOME PEOPLE STUMPED. >> narrator: IN ANOTHER PART OF TEXAS, KRISTIE REDDICK AND JESSICA HONAKER CONTINUE THEIR NIGHTTIME SEARCH IN THE DESERT FOR CAMEL SPIDERS TO SEE IF THE STORIES COMING BACK FROM IRAQ ARE TRUE. THEY HUNT FOR THE CREATURES WITH A RED LIGHT THAT WILL HELP ILLUMINATE THE AREA WITHOUT FRIGHTENING THEM AWAY. OTHER EIGHT-LEGGED CREATURES ARE TURNING UP IN THE DARKNESS, BUT NO CAMEL SPIDERS. >> IT'S REALLY THE SOLIFUGES' MOVEMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AT NIGHT. SORT OF FRANTIC, SCURRYING OVER THE ROCKS, PEDIPALPS UP. THEY'RE RUNNING AROUND. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR FOOD. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR MATES. >> narrator: CAMEL SPIDERS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO RUN AT SPEEDS OF 25 MILES AN HOUR, ALTHOUGH THE SCIENTIFICALLY DOCUMENTED SPEED IS LESS THAN TEN MILES PER HOUR. THEY CAN COME AND GO IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. >> THEY'RE REALLY COVERING GROUND FOR SOMETHING THAT-- THAT IS A SMALL CREATURE. >> narrator: THEY CHECK ON THEIR LIGHT TRAP, HOPING FOR A BITE. >> WE HAVE A FEW DOZEN ANTS AND A COUPLE OF MOTHS FLUTTERING AROUND, BUT... >> SOME BEETLES. >> NO SOLIFUGES. >> narrator: REDDICK AND HONAKER CONTINUE DEEPER INTO THE DESERT. >> SO THIS IS THE TIME OF NIGHT WHEN THEY SHOULD BE OUT, SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUST SORT OF WALK AROUND AND FIND THEM. DID YOU HEAR THAT? THERE'S A LARGE ANIMAL OVER HERE SOMEWHERE. >> narrator: AS THE NIGHT WEARS ON, THE HOPE FOR FINDING CAMEL SPIDERS DWINDLES, AND THE SEARCH COMES TO AN END. ALTHOUGH REDDICK AND HONAKER COMBED A LARGE SECTION OF THE PARK, THEY CAN'T FIND ANY OF THE ELUSIVE CREATURES. >> narrator: AROUND THE WORLD, LEGENDS ARE TOLD OF GIANT SPIDERS MEASURING FIVE FEET ACROSS, THE SIZE OF A DOG. ARACHNOLOGIST RICK WEST AND JUAN CARLOS RAMIREZ HUNT FOR PROOF IN THE RAINFORESTS OF THE AMAZON OUTSIDE THE TOWN OF PANDARI, VENEZUELA, WHERE VILLAGERS SAY SPIDERS GROW LARGE ENOUGH TO HUNT CHICKENS. >> LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS. >> narrator: WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THEY SPECIALLY DESIGN THEIR HUTS TO KEEP GIANTS FROM CREEPING IN AT NIGHT TO ENDANGER THEIR CHILDREN. AT VERY LEAST, THE FEAR IS REAL. >> MAYBE WE SHOULD TRY AND FISH IT OUT. >> THE OLD WAY? >> THE OLD WAY. >> THE INDIAN WAY. >> YOU BET. >> YOU FEEL SOMETHING? >> NOT AT ALL. I'M NOT GETTING A BITE. >> HOW ABOUT IF WE TRY THE SCOPE? DO YOU THINK IT WOULD WORK? >> I THINK SO. >> narrator: SINCE WEST CANNOT DRAW THE SPIDER OUT, HE WILL SCOPE THE BURROW WITH THE VIDEO PROBE. >> JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'VE GOT AN IMAGE. >> OKAY, WE'RE RECORDING. DOES THE CHAMBER GO A DIFFERENT WAY? >> IT GOES THE LENGTH OF THIS LOG. IT'S NOT A VERY BIG LOG. IF WE HAVE TO, WE'LL ROLL THE LOG, BUT WE'D HAVE TO CUT AWAY A FEW VINES AND THINGS. COULD BE A VERY HUGE SPECIMEN IN THERE. >> narrator: THE CHAMBER BENEATH THE LOG COULD GO DOWN EIGHT TO TEN FEET, BUT THE VIDEO PROBE CAN SEE INSIDE THE SPIDER'S DARKENED UNDERWORLD AND PERHAPS WILL SHOW THEM A GLIMPSE OF A GIANT. WEST FEEDS THE BURROW CAM DEEPER INTO THE HOLE, AND RAMIREZ WATCHES THE SCREEN CLOSELY FOR ANY MOVEMENT. >> OKAY, IT'S--IT'S A BIG CHAMBER. >> narrator: SUDDENLY, SOMETHING APPEARS ON THE MONITOR. >> OKAY, IT'S TWO LEGS ACTUALLY. THEY LOOK VERY LONG. LOOK AT THAT. >> narrator: THE MOLTED EXOSKELETON OF A LARGE SPIDER LITTERS THE BURROW. SPIDERS HAVE AN EXTERNAL SHELL CALLED AN EXOSKELETON. WHEN THE SPIDER BECOMES TOO BIG FOR ITS EXOSKELETON, IT MOLTS ITS ENTIRE SHELL TO MAKE WAY FOR A NEW ONE. THE MORE TIMES A SPIDER MOLTS, THE MORE MONSTROUS IN SIZE IT CAN BECOME. >> IF SHE MOLTS, THAT MEANS SHE'S GROWING BIGGER, AND SHE COULD BE BIGGER THAN THIS MOLT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. >> narrator: WEST ABANDONS THE VIDEO PROBE TO CAPTURE THE SPIDER. >> I THINK WE SHOULD SHUT IT OFF AND TRY AND MOVE THE LOG. >> OKAY, LET'S DO THAT. >> narrator: BUT AS THEY OVERTURN THE LOG AND SCRAPE AWAY THE SOIL, THE CHAMBER BELOW THE LOG REVEALS NOTHING. >> NO, I THINK IT'S AN EMPTY CHAMBER. >> narrator: AN EMPTY BURROW MEANS WEST AND RAMIREZ WILL NEED TO PRESS ON DEEPER INTO THE FOREST TO FIND THEIR GIANT. IN TEXAS, KRISTIE REDDICK AND JESSICA HONAKER CHECK THEIR CAMERA TRAPS TO SEE WHAT FEASTED ON THE BAIT. >> WHOA. IT GOT DRAGGED. OH, IT'S BEEN GNAWED ON BY SOMETHING. THERE'S A BIG, SORT OF, CHUNK OUT OF IT HERE, BUT NO SORT OF SMALL GNAWING. >> narrator: THE BITE MARKS SEEM TO HAVE COME FROM ANOTHER LARGER ANIMAL. BUT THE CAMERA TRAP MAY PROVE CAMEL SPIDERS WERE HERE. THEY TAKE THE CAMERA AND DOWNLOAD THE IMAGES. >> WHAT IS THAT? IS THAT A CAT? >> narrator: BUT THE CAMEL SPIDERS REMAIN ELUSIVE. SKUNKS AND CATS SEEM TO BE THE ONLY BEASTS TO SET THEM OFF. >> WE CAUGHT SKUNKS AND-- >> SKUNKS AND CATS. >> AND A CAT. AND WE CAN'T REALLY TELL WHAT'S ON THE GROUND, SO WE--THERE COULD HAVE BEEN ALL SORTS OF THINGS RUNNING OVER IT. >> narrator: REDDICK REMAINS SKEPTICAL OF MOST OF THE SPIDER STORIES COMING OUT OF IRAQ. >> ONE OF THE GREATEST MYTHS ON THE INTERNET IS THAT THESE CAMEL SPIDERS GET THEIR NAMES BECAUSE THEY EAT THE STOMACHS OF CAMELS. IT'S A GREAT MYTH, BUT IT'S NOT TRUE. THEY DON'T EAT CAMELS. THE LARGEST VERTEBRATES THAT THEY WOULD EAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS COMPARABLE TO THEIR SIZE, A LIZARD, A SNAKE, A MOUSE OR RODENT OF SOME KIND. >> narrator: AND JUST LIKE OUR OTHER EXPERT, REDDICK DOUBTS CAMEL SPIDERS CAN GROW UP TO THREE FEET LONG. >> CERTAIN SOLDIERS HAVE SEEN REALLY BIG SPIDERS, BUT EVERYTHING LOOKS BIGGER WHEN IT'S SCARY. >> narrator: REDDICK AND HONAKER HAVE YET TO WITNESS A CAMEL SPIDER WITH AN APPETITE FOR HUMAN FLESH. BUT CONTINUED RESEARCH ON THE CREATURE COULD YIELD NEW DISCOVERIES. PERHAPS SOMETHING IS OUT THERE. >> I'M NOT GONNA SAY NO, BECAUSE PART OF THE FUN OF SCIENCE IS DISCOVERY, AND I WOULD NEVER WANT TO SQUASH SOMEONE'S INTEREST OR HOPE FOR SOMETHING TO BE OUT THERE BY SAYING, "OH, IT COULDN'T EXIST, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH," BECAUSE IT COULD. >> narrator: AND BACK IN PANDARI, VENEZUELA, WEST AND RAMIREZ PRESS ON IN SEARCH OF THEIR GIANT. THE SUN IS SETTING, BUT WEST IS UNDETERRED. SPIDERS ARE NOCTURNAL. THEY WILL REMAIN ACTIVE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, AND SO WILL WEST AND RAMIREZ. >> GOOD. LISTEN TO THAT. I MEAN, THERE'S FROGS EVERYWHERE, SO, I MEAN, THIS IS A GREAT NIGHT FOR GIANT TARANTULAS. >> narrator: TREE FROGS AND CRICKETS LINE THE CANOPY, BUT NO SIGN OF SPIDERS. >> OH, LOOK AT THIS, RICK. LOOK AT THAT SNAKE. SLIGHT VENOM, JUST ENOUGH TO-- TO PARALYZE A FROG. IT'S A SEMIPOISONOUS SNAKE. IT'S A BEAUTY. >> narrator: IN THE AMAZON JUNGLES OF SOUTH AMERICA, THE NATIVE PEOPLE SAY GIANT SPIDERS ARE LURKING, FEEDING ON LIVESTOCK AND PERHAPS EVEN CHILDREN. IN VENEZUELA, THIS SHAMAN SAYS A FIVE-FOOT SPIDER KILLED A DOG. AND THIS MAN SAYS A SPIDER TOOK A SMALL CHILD FROM A NEARBY VILLAGE, AND IN THE CONGO, A BRITISH COUPLE WITNESSED A LARGER-THAN-LIFE SPIDER STRETCHING FOUR TO FIVE FEET. IF A TEN-INCH SPIDER IS CAPABLE OF TAKING DOWN PREY ITS OWN SIZE, THE PREY A FIVE-FOOT SPIDER COULD FEED ON IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE. CAN SCIENCE NOW PROVE THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH A SPIDER? IN THE DARK OF NIGHT, DEEP IN THE AMAZON, RICK WEST AND JUAN CARLOS RAMIREZ CONTINUE THEIR SEARCH FOR A MONSTER-SIZED SPIDER. >> OH, LOOK AT THAT. ARE THEY VENOMOUS? >> I'M NOT SURE. >> TERMITES? >> TERMITES, YEAH. >> narrator: THEY PRESS ON THROUGH THE FOREST, HOPING TO FIND SOMETHING IN THE DARKNESS. >> HEY, RICK, I THINK I SAW SOMETHING. >> RIGHT THROUGH THERE. THAT IS A HUGE TARANTULA SITTING AT ITS BURROW. >> OH, I CAN SEE IT. >> WE'VE GOT TO BE REALLY QUIET. ANY VIBRATIONS, SHE'LL GO BACK DOWN THE HOLE. >> narrator: THIS SPIDER IS LARGE BUT NOWHERE NEAR THE SIZE OF THE SPIDER SEEN BY EYEWITNESSES. >> OH, NO, THERE SHE WENT. SHE WENT DOWN THE HOLE. >> narrator: THE NEXT MORNING, WEST AND RAMIREZ HEAD OUT INTO THE FOREST. THEY HAVE ONE LAST CHANCE TO FIND THEIR MONSTER. >> WALKING THROUGH THIS TRAIL AFTER HEARING ALL THOSE GIANT TARANTULA STORIES, IT'S... >> I KNOW. >> KIND OF WORRYING. HERE'S SOMETHING, RICK. WOULD THAT BE A SPIDER? >> narrator: THEY COME ACROSS WHAT MAY BE ANOTHER SPIDER LAIR. >> THAT DEFINITELY LOOKS LIKE A SPIDER BURROW. WE SHOULD PROBABLY SCOPE IT AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THERE. >> narrator: THEY PULL OUT THE PROBE... >> CAN YOU GUIDE IT TO THE SIDES, OR ITS-- >> YEAH, THE CHAMBER IS SPLIT INTO MULTI CHAMBERS, ACTUALLY. >> narrator: AND ARE STARTLED BY WHAT THEY SEE NEXT. >> LOOK AT THAT. THAT'S HUGE. >> OKAY, THERE'S THE ABDOMEN. >> CAN YOU SEE MUCH MORE OF HER? >> YES, YEAH. >> IS SHE GOING DEEPER? IT LOOKS LIKE THE LEG DISAPPEARED. >> SHE'S BACKWARDS. SO SHE'S POINTING HER ABDOMEN TOWARDS YOU. SO WATCH OUT IF SHE THROWS SOME HAIRS. >> YUP, I'M STARTING TO GET THEM IN MY THROAT. [coughs] YEAH. OH, LOOK AT THAT. SHE'S THROWING MORE, YEAH. I CAN SEE THEM COMING OUT THE BURROW. THEY GET IN THE NOSTRILS, AND IT CAN CAUSE ASPHYXIATION IN SMALL THINGS. >> narrator: IN A LAST-DITCH EFFORT, WEST PULLS OUT HIS KNIFE TO DIG THE SPIDER OUT. WE'RE CLOSE. >> OKAY, THAT'S A MOLT. >> PIECE OF A MOLT. SEE THE--SEE THE FANGS RIGHT HERE? THEY'RE VERY POWERFUL. THEY HAVE A VERY STRONG BITE. HERE SHE COMES. OH, SHE'S KICKING HAIRS. >> SHE'S RUBBING HAIRS. >> YEAH. >> YOU DON'T WANT TO BREATHE THAT. >> narrator: COULD THIS BE THEIR GIANT, A SPECIES LARGER THAN WHAT'S KNOWN? >> OH. >> HERE SHE COMES. HERE SHE COMES. >> OH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL. LOOK AT THAT. YOU CAN TELL SHE'S BEEN RUBBING. >> OH, SEE THAT--THAT'S A DEFENSIVE POSTURE, SO IF I ADVANCE A LITTLE MORE, SHE WILL BITE ME. THESE FANGS HAVE GOT TO BE 3/4 OF AN INCH LONG. THOSE ARE ENORMOUS FANGS. >> WOW. >> SHE WOULD PUT THE FANGS RIGHT THROUGH MY THUMB. SHE'D PIERCE THAT WITH NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER. >> narrator: IT IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST THEY'VE FOUND. >> 50--56 GRAMS. >> narrator: BUT THE GIANT STILL ELUDES THEM. >> WHEN I STRETCH THE LEGS OUT DIAGONALLY, I WOULD SAY THAT'S A GOOD 10 INCHES, MAYBE 10 1/2 INCHES. THAT'S CLOSE TO WHAT'S KNOWN SO FAR, BUT, I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE GIANT. WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE MONSTER OF ALL TARANTULAS. I THINK THERE'S BIGGER ONES IN THIS FOREST. >> THAT'S BIG ENOUGH FOR MY TASTE. >> narrator: AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF SEARCHING POTENTIAL HOTSPOTS, WEST AND RAMIREZ HAVE FOUND SOMETHING: A VERY REAL DREAD AMONG LOCAL INHABITANTS OF A CREATURE SCIENCE HAS YET TO DOCUMENT. THEY WILL RETURN TO THE VENEZUELAN JUNGLE AGAIN TO TRY TO PROVE THERE IS SOMETHING TO THESE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS. >> I WAS HOPING WE WOULD FIND SOMETHING LARGER THAN WHAT'S KNOWN, BUT HEY, THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA KEEP ME COMING BACK AND REEXPLORING THESE JUNGLES. THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE, AND THAT'S THE MAIN THING. >> I'VE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS NOW, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING THAT BIG, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, I ALSO THINK ABOUT, THEY HAVE NO REASON TO MAKE UP THESE STORIES. SO IT'S A QUESTION OUT THERE, AND WE HOPE TO FIND SOME ANSWERS. >> narrator: ALTHOUGH EYEWITNESS REPORTS CLAIM ITS EXISTENCE, EVIDENCE OF A GIANT SPIDER STILL ELUDES SCIENCE. BUT WITH 6% OF THE EARTH COVERED IN RAINFOREST, HOME TO THE WORLD'S BIGGEST KNOWN SPIDERS, IT'S POSSIBLE SUCH A MONSTER COULD EXIST, HIDDEN IN THE DENSE UNDERBRUSH, APPEARING ONLY AT NIGHT IN SEARCH OF ITS NEXT MEAL. >> ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, I THINK IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO THINK THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE. IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE THERE'S SOMETHING PRETTY IMPRESSIVE THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YET. >> I HAVE A COUPLE EMPTY TANKS AT HOME I WOULDN'T MIND PUTTING A SIX-FOOT SPIDER IN. I HOPE THEY EXIST.
