Giant Crab!

Giant Crab!

We were exploring another island and met an infamous arthropod! These giant, slightly creepy looking creatures are the coconut crab and man are we excited for you to meet them too!

Date: 5/10

Location: Raja Ampat Islands

Coconut Crab Fun Facts:

• Coconut crabs are the largest land arthropods in the world.

• Young coconut crabs use other animals’ shells to protect themselves, just like other hermit crabs. As they grow older their exoskeleton hardens.
• They do eat coconuts. They scrape away the fibrous outside and crack open the shell to get to the meaty inside.
• As a coconut crab grows, they shed their exoskeleton and grow a new one.
• Coconut crabs have an excellent sense of smell.
• They are solitary and territorial.
• Coconut crabs can live up to 40 years.

These giant creatures may be one of our favorites! They are the stuff of bad B horror movies, but aren’t they cool. People do not eat them- which is good. They are tough! Hahahaha!