Christmas Island Red Crab Migration Map

Ever year millions of red crabs migrate across christmas island in the indian ocean to mate.
Christmas island red crab migration map. The red crab is a christmas island australia original found nowhere else in the world. Christmas island red crab breeding migration an eye catching book that superbly describes and illustrates with spectacular images one of nature s most amazing animal migrations. Every year tens of millions of christmas island s endemic red crabs travel from the rainforest to the shore and return on an annual breeding migration that is. Red crab migration when where and why.
The christmas island red crabs live most of their lives in the forest. Christmas island tourism association. Christmas island red crab migration google maps. 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.
Most of christmas island s adult red crabs begin their breeding migration to the sea as soon as the wet season rains have established. 61 0 8 9164 8080. They are sexually mature at this age and begin to participate in the breeding migrations the christmas island red crabs moult their shells regularly during their early growth phases to match their increasing body size. Christmas island s mass red crab migration is one of the most incredible natural processes on earth.
It s a truly spectacular sight that world renowned naturalist sir david attenborough described as one of his greatest tv moments. But we can never be sure when the wet season is going to begin. Once a year during the rainy season the leave the forest and migrate to the shore to spawn and breed. 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.
Po box 63 christmas island wa 6798 indian ocean phone. 61 0 8 9164 8382. 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.
Spawning the dropping of their eggs into the sea must occur before. The crabs breeding timetable is fixed around the phases of the moon.