Ascension: Ascension Island Crabs

Many people probably heard about the red crab migration on the Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. Well, similar species lives on Ascension – the Ascension Island Crab or Johngarthia lagostoma. This is a land crab that spends almost entirety of its life in burrows at the elevation of 1000 ft and higher and only descending once a year to the sea level to spawn ( same as their Christmas brethren). The Ascension crabs are slightly larger in size and yellow in color. They are mostly nocturnal but we got lucky to spot a couple during the day in the Green Mountain National Park.