Christmas Island red crabs are not considered edible. On average, the Christmas Island red crab’s carapace can be up to 4.6 inches wide. The weight of the crab is about 17 ounces. These crabs eat their babies because they’re hungry, and babies are easy to catch and eat.
You can eat Christmas Island red crabs! These tasty crustaceans are available all year round but are especially plentiful during the summer months – between January and April. What are Christmas island red crabs? Christmas Island red crabs are also known as ‘redback crabs’ or ‘red-backed crabs’. Both species have long legs and claws which help them climb up trees when searching for food.
You should not eat Christmas Island Red crabs. They play important roles on the local ecosystem, including: Preventing or reducing the risk of invasion of invasive plant species.
The Christmas Island red crab is by far the most obvious of the 14 species of land crabs found on Christmas Island. It is estimated that 40 – 50 million of these bright red land crabs live in their preferred shady sites all over the island. Also known as the coconut crab, the robber crab is the world’s biggest land crustacean. It can weigh more than 4 kg and measure up to a metre across.
Red crabs are a species of land crab endemic to Christmas Island. Every year, around October-November, around 50 million red crabs migrate from the forest to the beach to breed. This is an amazing sight, as the island turns red! The crabs are a significant part of the island’s culture and ecosystem.
Mature crabs migrate to the beach from October to December at the start of the wet season. They can only spawn their eggs once a month in time with the tides and a special phase of the moon. Sometimes even recent crab mothers get hungry. ~ 25% of recent mothers cannibalized larvae.
The robber crabs are good to eat, tasting like a cross between a mud crab and a lobster. But while they are considered a delicacy across the Pacific, they are a protected species in Australia and can’t be eaten.
The Christmas Island red crab is endemic to Christmas Island. Although restricted to a relatively small area, an estimated 43.7 million adult red crabs once lived on Christmas Island alone. Christmas Island red crabs make an annual mass migration to the sea to lay their eggs in the ocean.
Christmas Island red crabs eat whatever they can catch, eat and digest, including plant and animal material. They also scavenge. These crabs are measured by the width of their carapace.
The accidental introduction of the yellow crazy ant is believed to have killed about 10–15 million of these in recent years. Although its population is under assault by the ants, the red crab had not been assessed.
Where to watch the red crab migration on Christmas Island? Crab bridge. When the crabs arrive at the shoreline, they dip in the sea to replenish body moisture and salts. The male and female crabs then move back on to the shore terraces where the males dig burrows for mating.
People eating Christmas Island red crabs can experience severe illness. The crabs are not safe to eat and should not be eaten. Do not eat any Christmas Island red crab caught in the wild. You can not eat Christmas Island red crabs because of toxins. Despite great numbers, Christmas Island red crabs are not considered edible, at least not to humans.
Road closures are enacted on the island to protect the migrating crabs. It is estimated that 40 to 50 million red crabs live on Christmas island, but the population has been reduced by up to 40% by attacking ants.
Are there still red crabs on Christmas Island?
It is estimated 40 – 50 million bright red land crabs live in their preferred shady sites all over the island. The crabs make an annual mass migration to the sea to lay their eggs. Although the red crab lives on a relatively small area, an estimated 43.7 million once lived on Christmas Island.
The crab population has been reduced by 10–15 million in recent years by the accidental introduction of the yellow crazy ant. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has not assessed the red crab.
The red crab is endemic to Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean. More than 20 land crab species live on Christmas Island, including an estimated 45 million red crabs that shape and maintain the rainforests.
The crabs generally walked in straight lines toward the northwest shore instead of the nearest. The maximum recorded distance walked in one day was 1460 m.
This year’s migration could be the biggest in years due to heavy rainfall. Wildlife photographer Chris Bray said when the island woke, it was “red with crabs”. The crabs eat leaves, fruits, flowers and seeds but also eat their young.
Why are Christmas Island red crabs famous?
Christmas Island red crabs are famous for their bright red color and spectacular annual migration. Millions become rivers of red moving from rainforests to the ocean to breed. They are a protected species; catching or eating them is illegal.
These omnivorous crabs live in moist rainforests and other habitats, including gardens. They eat fallen leaves, fruits, flowers, seedlings, dead crabs, birds and snails. Their droppings fertilise the soil. Their migration starts the wet season.
Males are larger with narrower claws. Females have wider abdomens and smaller pincers. Bright red is the most common color, but some are orange or purple. Protecting their habitat is important.
How big is a Christmas Island red crab?
The Christmas Island red crab is a species of land crab endemic to Christmas Island and Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean. Although restricted to a relatively small area, about 43.7 million red crabs lived on Christmas Island. The accidental introduction of the yellow crazy ant killed 10–15 million crabs in recent years.
These crabs make an annual migration to the sea to lay eggs. Their population faces threats from the invasive ants. As of 2020, the red crab has not been assessed for conservation status.
The Christmas Island red crab grows over 4 inches wide. It weighs about 17 ounces. These bright red land crabs live all over the island in shady sites.
During the wet season around October and November, tens of millions of red crabs migrate from the rainforest to the sea to spawn. This epic migration happens every year.
The Christmas Island red crab belongs to the arthropod family of joint-legged animals. It is a slow-growing crab that breeds only once annually.
Although edible, these crabs are not consumed locally. Instead the robber crab is considered a delicacy across the Pacific. The red crabs eat plant matter. They also unfortunately eat their own young.
The red crabs shape the island’s unique rainforests. Over 20 land crab species live on Christmas Island, including around 100 million red crabs. The island’s national park protects these species across 85 square kilometers, which is two thirds of the land.