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Date Published: 18/03/2026

Not for the squeamish: Valencia park reveals 'surgeon' ants that amputate body parts to survive

Visitors to Bioparc Valencia can now watch these unsettling insects treat injuries in a very extreme way

Nature isn’t always cuddly or pretty, and the latest attraction at Bioparc Valencia certainly isn’t for the faint hearted.

The zoo-immersion park has unveiled a unique exhibit featuring the giant spotted ant, also known as the ‘surgeon ant’, and yes, it does exactly what the name suggests.

These insects have the unsettling ability to treat injured members of their colony, and in some cases that means carrying out what can only be described as tiny amputations. When a limb is too badly damaged, worker ants will remove it completely to stop infection spreading, before carefully cleaning the wound.

It sounds like something out of a horror film, but visitors can now watch it happen in real time.

The colony is housed in a specially designed enclosure inspired by the Kitum Cave, where you can see the intricate network of tunnels and chambers the ants use for everything from storing food to disposing of waste. The setup has been created so you can observe workers, soldiers and even the queen as they go about their business.

When they’re not carefully carrying out amputations on each other, these ants are known for their aggressive defence tactics, with larger soldier ants that bite and even spray formic acid when threatened.

Originally from Africa, this species can grow quickly, with colonies reaching up to 10,000 ants in less than two years and eventually expanding to as many as 50,000.

Their diet is just as lively as their behaviour, feeding not only on nectar but also on insects like crickets, cockroaches and flies.

It’s strange, slightly gruesome and oddly fascinating all at once, and if you’re brave enough, it’s something you can now see for yourself in Valencia.

Images: Bioparc Valencia

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