Coconut Crab

Kadidiri Island...Togean Islands...I didn't think it would be possible but... I was lucky enough to see a coconut crab up-close and personal...a very cool creature.


From my research on the endangered coconut crab, I found that; the coconut crab is the world's largest terrestrial arthropod, they once lived on many islands throughout the western Pacific and eastern Indian Oceans. However due to unsustainable human actions, the coconut crab numbers have reduced dramatically and are now only found on a handful of isolated islands, which includes the Togean islands.

On Kadidiri, the coconut crabs live in the coral cliffs on the west side of the beach...they are the size of a small football. However, a mature crab can weigh up to 5kg and their large-clawed legs can span 90cm...that's almost one metre...that's HUGE!

Obviously it's pretty rare to be able to actually spot a coconut crab in the coral cliffs on Kadidiri, they camoflauge themselves against the coral and rocks. They are also generally nocturnal, they remain hidden during the hot days and sometimes emerge at night to look for food. I was lucky enough to see a coconut crab up-close and personal...a very cool creature.

Popular myth tells the story that the coconut crabs can climb to the top of coconut trees to snip off coconuts, removing the husk and then climbing back up the tree to drop the nut from a great height to crack it open. However, there is little evidence that this is true. Some people believe that the coconut crabs can crack the husk of the coconut with its strong pincers to eat the coconut meat.