Theories abound that male self-sacrifice may be a logical extension of the practice employed by many animals, including insects and spiders, of the male bringing a gift of food to encourage the female to mate.

ECONOMIST: Why self-sacrifice makes perfect sense for spiders

Scientists who study phobias and dislikes have come up with several features of spiders that may be more relevant than their bites, including their unpredictable, darting movements.

NEWYORKER: It Ain��t Necessarily So

At Corcovado you can find tapirs, jaguars, pumas, anteaters, two-toed and three-toed sloths, golden orb spiders, moon crabs, a diversification of monkeys (including all four types of Costa Rican monkeys, found only in Corcovado), crocodiles, poison dart frogs, pelicans, 220 species of butterflies, scarlet macaws and even the rare and venomous fer-de-lance snake.

FORBES: Take A Trip To The "Happiest Country On Earth"