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The agitated arachnid was filmed scurrying around suitcases and feet after it is thought it snuck into a passenger's luggage and made the flight to the UK.
By Casey Cooper-Fiske, News Reporter
14:31, Tue, Mar 26, 2024 | UPDATED: 14:37, Tue, Mar 26, 2024
The scorpion scurrying around a Heathrow Airport terminal (Image: Twitter/@UB1UB2)
Passengers at Heathrow Airport were left stunned as a scorpion stowaway roamed around one of the airport’s terminals. The agitated arachnid was filmed scurrying around suitcases and feet after it is thought it snuck into a passenger's luggage and made the flight to the UK.
It is not known where the scorpion came from, but Black Scorpions are native to South Africa, East Asia, Southern Europe and Australia so these could be likely homes for the animal.
The species of scorpion is not native to the UK, with only Yellow-Tailed Scorpions breeding on British shores.
Black Scorpions are not deadly, but they do contain a powerful sting on par with a hornet.
Heathrow Airport has a specialist team dedicated to dealing with animals (Image: Getty)
Following the incident, Heathrow Airport confirmed its specialist team had safely caught the creature and was looking after it.
A Heathrow Airport spokesman said: “This stowaway was safely collected and removed from the terminal by specially trained staff.
“It will be assessed and identified, before being taken to a suitable new home.”
When animals are found roaming the airport’s terminals, Heathrow has its own Heathrow Animal Reception Centre from which a team is called out to rescue the creature.
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Some of the animals to have passed through the London airport doors down the years include starfish, frogs and snakes, with some even flying into one of its runways.
The City of London Corporation manages Heathrow’s animal operations.
As well as stopping stowaways, the animal reception centre also helps pets to make their journeys through the airport.
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