It has been a big breeding season for the Christmas Island red crabs (Gecarcoidea natalis). After the adult crabs spawned in the sea at the end of 2021, the baby crabs are trekking back to the forest in record numbers.
Some years all of the baby crabs vanish and are never seen again, but on special years when the weather and currents are just right, the island wakes one morning to find the coastline smothered in a living red carpet of tiny baby crabs.
Early 2022 has seen one of the biggest baby crab returns ever documented.
Australian crawl: Christmas Island’s baby red crab migration – in pictures
Some years all of the baby crabs vanish and are never seen again, but on special years when the weather and currents are just right, the island wakes one morning to find the coastline smothered in a living red carpet of tiny baby crabs.
Early 2022 has seen one of the biggest baby crab returns ever documented.
Australian crawl: Christmas Island’s baby red crab migration – in pictures