The team of birdspidersCH is honored to display the curated image collection of world-renowned tarantula arachnologist Rick C. West.
Biography
Rick C. West is one of the leading authorities on tarantulas (Theraphosidae) in the world and has traveled to well over 27 countries to document and study them in their environment. These mygalomorph spiders are also known as baboon, bird-eating, cat-leg, horse, leopard, monkey and tiger spiders. His knowledge of these spiders is encyclopedic and includes their uses and myths by indigenous people throughout the world. Rick is author of countless articles and many scientific papers and owns the largest pictorial library of tarantula species in the world.
For the past forty years, Rick has acted as a freelance scientific consultant and film presenter for researchers, scientific institutions, international wildlife and conservation organizations, international wildlife enforcement agencies, natural history books and wildlife film companies.
For the past twenty-five years, Rick has acted as a freelance scientific consultant and film presenter for researchers, scientific institutions, International wildlife and conservation organizations, International wildlife enforcement agencies, natural history books and wildlife film companies.
Rick C. West has been a ‘fixer’, presenter and co-producer in such tarantula documentaries as; ‘The Real Lost World’, ‘Spidermania’, ‘PBS – Spiders’, ‘Tarantulas – Champions of the Wild’, ‘Tarantulas – King of the Spiders’, ‘Giants -Spiders’ and ‘Giant Tarantula’.
Rick C. West began his fascination for tarantula spiders at the very early age of 13, 58 years ago, and with the encouragement of his university professor, furthered his interest in a more scientific way 40 years ago. Rick was an honorary Research Associate with the Royal B.C. Museum, in the field of arachnology, for nearly ten years.
Rick C. West is happily married with children and grandchildren and lives in a rural setting outside of Victoria, British Columbia. Having been a Special Constable for 28 years and a biological technician with an Integrated Pest Management Company, Rick is now retired from his job but continues to pursue and publish papers on new theraphosid species. Rick’s papers can be found here – https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rick-West-2/research.
