Salticidae — Jumping spiders
A jumping spider can pause, look and leap: the family Salticidae is known for vision-guided hunting. KA’AETÉ plans a cautious first visible predator phase with jumping spiders, but no species has yet been selected and none are living in the project.
A hunter that sees its surroundings
Unlike spiders that rely chiefly on capture webs, many salticids stalk or approach prey and use their prominent front-facing eyes to judge details and movement. Research shows that their visual abilities vary by species and illumination; not every jumping spider behaves alike.
Why identification stays at family level
‘Jumping spider’ is a family-level description, not a precise species name. The reference photograph on this page depicts a genuine salticid, but must not be interpreted as identifying the eventual KA’AETÉ inhabitant. Species-specific humidity, temperature, prey preferences and housing remain open questions.
Prey populations before predation
Small flying insects and other suitable prey must establish reproducing populations first; microhabitats need effective refuges. Only after measured stability and a species-compatibility review would introducing a predator become a responsible option. No animal introduction is promised on a fixed date.
STATUS · Predator phase 1 planned conditionally. Salticidae family only; exact species unresolved. Not introduced. Construction started on 16 October 2026.
Scientific reading: Nelson et al., jumping-spider vision, Journal of Experimental Biology (2019)