Hawaii may be surrounded by water but it's still quite uncommon to see a crab walking on the street. Residents in the island's Salt Lake neighborhood got a surprise this week when what turned out to be a coconut crab decided to take a stroll along the local boulevard.
When residents discovered the crab, they coaxed the giant crustacean into a box and called animal control. They were told that what they had just witnessed crossing the street was in fact the largest terrestrial hermit crab species in the world, as well as the biggest of land-living arthropods. The coconut crab got its name from its ability to crack open coconuts with its massive pincers. Despite the abundance of coconuts in the area, however, the coconut crab is not native to Hawaii.
It might be fascinating to look at due to its size -- coconut crabs can grow up to 10 pounds and more than three feet in length from leg to leg, with the one found in Salt Lake actually measuring just three pounds and 16 inches in length -- but a coconut crab is dangerous.
"There's a threat to our native ecosystem. The coconut crab would definitely would feed on various native birds and turtles potentially, and it also could present a human health hazard for children and also for home pets," said Trenton Yasui, a specialist on invertebrates from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.
While authorities warned the public about the dangers coconut crabs can bring, they don't believe others are roaming the area as no other reports of sightings have been made.
Since Hawaii is not the crab's native habitat, it is highly likely that it was smuggled into the island, somehow getting away from its captors. Not that it would have a difficult time doing so: coconut crabs are agile enough to climb trees.
Coconut crabs are illegal in Hawaii, with possession equivalent to a Class C Felony. That means up to three years in jail and up to $200,000 in fines, although the Department of Agriculture has an amnesty program that encourages violators to turn in illegally acquired animals without fear of penalties.
For now, Salt Lake's coconut crab will be living in the Honolulu Zoo indefinitely. It should still be alive after a while, though. Crabs of this kind can live up to 60 years old. It is estimated that the coconut crab discovered is about 10 years old.
