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Amelia Earhart Search Forum => General discussion => Topic started by: Shannon Council on March 16, 2020, 01:37:06 AM

Title: Interesting story on Coconut Crabs (misc. info re: Niku fauna.)
Post by: Shannon Council on March 16, 2020, 01:37:06 AM

Check out what the crabs stole and the damage that they did; astonishing (for me at least.)

Cheers
slc

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-australia-51867525/christmas-island-a-giant-robber-crab-stole-my-camera

Title: Re: Interesting story on Coconut Crabs (misc. info re: Niku fauna.)
Post by: Christian Stock on March 16, 2020, 05:23:51 PM

Her camera is probably on Saipan.

Title: Re: Interesting story on Coconut Crabs (misc. info re: Niku fauna.)
Post by: Don White on March 16, 2020, 06:35:44 PM

Maybe they stole AE's camera too! :)

LTM,
Don

Title: Re: Interesting story on Coconut Crabs (misc. info re: Niku fauna.)
Post by: Shannon Council on March 17, 2020, 02:15:46 AM

They really are gorgeous. Gentle giants, however? Not sure about that.

Title: Re: Interesting story on Coconut Crabs (misc. info re: Niku fauna.)
Post by: Eric Sussman on March 17, 2020, 02:55:58 PM

They are by far the best crabs I’ve ever eaten.  The locals and I used to capture them on the uninhabited barrier islands of Mili Atoll during my Peace Corps assignment.  Brought them back to our island and the women cooked them in their underground oven with breadfruit.  Yummy!

Title: Re: Interesting story on Coconut Crabs (misc. info re: Niku fauna.)
Post by: Shannon Council on March 18, 2020, 01:59:53 AM

Eric: Aren't these crabs legally protected in some way now-a-days?

Title: Re: Interesting story on Coconut Crabs (misc. info re: Niku fauna.)
Post by: Eric Sussman on March 23, 2020, 01:47:56 PM

Shannon,

They might be but I am unaware of the restriction.  Anyway, my experience dates to 1968-70.

Eric

Title: Re: Interesting story on Coconut Crabs (misc. info re: Niku fauna.)
Post by: Ric Gillespie on March 28, 2020, 09:38:20 AM

We used to eat them too, before they were declared endangered.  The restriction is routinely ignored by Pacific islanders.

Title: Re: Interesting story on Coconut Crabs (misc. info re: Niku fauna.)
Post by: Gloria Walker Burger on April 15, 2020, 08:38:25 PM

In the article they said the crabs are not scary at all. I read once on this website that they bother sleepers. Would they have bothered Amelia sleeping?

Title: Re: Interesting story on Coconut Crabs (misc. info re: Niku fauna.)
Post by: Ric Gillespie on April 16, 2020, 07:34:39 AM

Quote from: Gloria Walker Burger on April 15, 2020, 08:38:25 PM

Would they have bothered Amelia sleeping?

I don't think so.  They're very shy.  The little Strawberry Hermits are a different story.  If you stop moving they assume you're lunch.

Title: Re: Interesting story on Coconut Crabs (misc. info re: Niku fauna.)
Post by: Andrew M McKenna on April 17, 2020, 02:58:51 PM

Ric

If memory serves, both Kar Burns and John Clauss got pinched on the scalp by Coco crabs while sleeping. 

Maybe just my memory, but like the strawberry hermit crabs, I don't think they wait for you to die before seeing if you are edible and willing to fight back.

Andrew