Michael Jacobi

Unido: 22.may.2017 Última actividad: 04.dic.2023 iNaturalist

Field naturalist/photographer/lecturer/author focused on rattlesnakes, other snakes, tarantulas, jumping spiders, and scorpions. Avid birder with a special interest in hummingbirds & raptors. Takes only photographs & memories; leaves only footprints, sweat & blood. I started chasing and keeping snakes almost forty-seven years ago, read nothing but reptile books as a child and teen, and soon also became obsessed with spiders. ALL OF MY LINKS: https://linktr.ee/mjacobi

Instagram: @jacobipix. Blog, galleries, publications, etc: www.mjacobi.com

Watch my new presentation on "Tarantulas of the USA with a Focus on the Sky Islands of Arizona and New Species," which is a studio version of the live lecture I delivered in England in March 2020 at the 18th Annual British Tarantula Society Lectures & Dinner. https://youtu.be/XMVfqIS3YLw

Outside of the U.S., I've chased snakes & spiders in Mexico, Costa Rica, Suriname, Sri Lanka, Malaysia & Borneo, but I mostly look forward to continuing to explore the amazing southwestern USA with a focus on the Madrean Sky Islands. There is no country as bountiful in terms of fauna, flora & landscape as the United States.


Traveler, blogger, author, wildlife photographer
Publisher of ARACHNOCULTURE–The Digital Magazine for the Arachnid World
(www.mjacobi.com/arachnoculture)


A northwest suburban Chicago native. Born in Chicago, I grew up in Des Plaines and also lived in Mount Prospect, Palatine, Lake Villa, Hoffman Estates, and Huntley.

I also have lived in Pullman, WA; Seattle (Edmonds, Lynnwood), WA; Nashville, TN; Milwaukee, WI; Rodeo, NM; Portal, AZ; and "on the road" as a full-time RV-er.

Former Caretaker/Naturalist/Host/Volunteer at Cave Creek Canyon Visitor Information Center in the Chiricahua Mountains (April-November 2018, Volunteer of the Year; March-December 2019; January 2020).

Former Volunteer - Hummingbird Monitoring Network 2018-2019; biweekly banding in Paradise, AZ.


  • Author of Animal Planet's Tarantulas and numerous articles on tarantulas, reptiles & scorpions (see PUBLICATIONS page at mjacobi.com to download some recent articles).
  • Co-author of Smith, A.M. & Jacobi, M.A. (2015). Revision of the genus Phormingochilus with the description of three new species from Sulawesi and Sarawak and notes on the placement of the genera Cyriopagopus, Lampropelma and Omothymus. Journal of the British Tarantula Society 30(3): 25-48.
  • Lecturer on tarantulas in the U.S., U.K. and Hungary.
  • Former author/webmaster of the now defunct "The World of Atheris" bush viper website.
  • Former author/webmaster of the now defunct "The Tarantula Bibliography" tarantula website.
  • Former editor & designer of the Journal of the British Tarantula Society.
  • Former North American Representative of the British Tarantula Society.
  • Retired breeder-dealer of exotic animals (esp. pythons, geckos, arboreal vipers, chameleons & tarantulas).
  • Retired pet industry veteran.
  • Retired firearms instructor.
  • Tactical handgun shooter, poker enthusiast, MMA fan, guitarist, fisherman, disc golfer.

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Vida Silvestre es una entidad asociada a la Organización Mundial de Conservación