Aldabra: Aldabra Atoll – Coconut Crabs

Another animal that exists on Aldabra in massive numbers besides the tortoises are the larges land crabs in the world – Coconut Crabs aka Birgus latro in Latin. Known for being the largest land-dwelling crustacean, coconut crabs can grow up to 1m in leg span and weigh over 4 kg. Here, on Aldabra, they are present in massive numbers – we saw them everywhere, dozens and dozens of them. Just like tortoises, they are the apex animal here, without any predation. And true to their name, they climb coconut trees on Aldabra and crack open the coconuts! Coconut crabs have one of the most astute sense of smell in the animal world – up to 40% of their brain is dedicated to smell. The grip of coconut crab pincers is super strong , 10 times stronger than that of humans. A 4kg coconut crab has a crushing force of 3,300 newtons, significantly higher than other crustaceans like lobsters, who only have claw strengths of 150 newtons. Coconut crabs can live up to 60 years. It was Charles Darwin who first described them during his Beagle voyage in the Indian Ocean.