NATTER: COCONUT CRABS

Source: Rebecca Dominguez

Check out these crabs!

Coconut Crab (Birgus latro) is the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world. It is known for its ability to crack coconuts with its strong pincers in order to eat the contents. It is sometimes called the robber crab because some coconut crabs are rumoured to steal shiny items such as pots and silverware from houses and tents.



The second photo gives you a good idea of how large these crabs are - a coconut crab is seeking food from a rubbish bin.

FYI: The coconut crab is a large edible land crab related to the hermit crab, and is found in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. In Australia, they are found on Christmas Island and the far north parts of the mainland. As the name suggest, coconut crabs eat coconuts for a living. How would you like to be on an island and come across a crab that is more than 3 feet from head to tail and weighs up to 40 pounds, with a pair of large pincers strong enough to open coconuts! They can climb trees too, but they only eat coconuts that have already fallen to the ground.

Coconut crab meat is considered a local delicacy. I'm not surprised. Just one crab would do me. Imagine all that meat!!!