Christmas Island Red Crab Migration 2019

The christmas island red crab is by far the most obvious of the 14 species of land crabs found on christmas island.

Christmas island red crab migration 2019. The red crab is a christmas island australia original found nowhere else in the world. This isle near australia with a pretty name christmas island is never more amusing than during the red crab migration. Although restricted to a relatively small area an estimated 43 7 million adult red crabs once lived on christmas island alone but the accidental introduction of the yellow crazy ant is believed to have killed about 10 15 million. It is estimated that 40 50 million of these bright red land crabs live in their preferred shady sites all over the island.

It s a truly spectacular sight that world renowned naturalist sir david attenborough described as one of his greatest tv moments. Tied to the lunar calendar this massive migration usually begins during the island s wet season when. Every year millions of these large crabs emerge from the forest and make their way to the ocean to breed swarming across roads streams rocks and beaches. As 50 million travellers leave their forested habitat and set off to the shore the local community does everything they can to make the mass journey flow as safe as possible.

Click on the tabs below for more information about the christmas island red crabs. Christmas island s mass red crab migration is one of the most incredible natural processes on earth. The christmas island red crab gecarcoidea natalis is a species of land crab that is endemic to christmas island and cocos keeling islands in the indian ocean.