A National Park Service ambulance once found itself delivering an injured 24-year-old motorcyclist to Desert View Hospital in Pahrump, Nevada. The EMTs responded to an accident involving the biker, a camper van, and a wild animal. While incidents related to the wildlife in a National Park setting are never too far out of the realm of possibilities, it’s the type of animal in this case that makes the story so unusual.

On October 28, 2023, the Canadian motorcycle trailed a Swiss couple driving their rented camper. As they navigated through Death Valley National Park, using CA-190, the couple saw something crossing the road. To avoid hitting a native desert tarantula, the RV driver slammed on the brakes.

Unfortunately, the biker didn’t stop fast enough and instead drove straight into the back of the camper van.

While the motorcyclist won a not-so-free trip to the hospital, the National Park Service reported that the tarantula escaped the ordeal unharmed.

The NPS shared that Death Valley visitors spot these native arachnids in the fall. Males live for eight to 10 years. They’re often out and about looking for a mate this time of year. Once they find a female, though, they’ll die within a few months. That is, if they aren’t eaten right away by their partner. Female tarantulas, on the other hand, can live 20 or more years.

The group also says wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) in the U.S. leave about 59,000 people injured and another 440 dead every year. Of course, these events usually involve larger animals, like deer and moose, which cause about $10 billion in damage and expenses annually.