How to rob coconut, know about robber Crab

Andaman and Nicobar Islands are unique treasure of bio diversity. Remoteness of these Islands from main landmass Asia, gives special endemic character to faunal wealth of the archipelago. As much as 39% of total avifauna found in the islands is endemic, so also 13% of total faunal species inhabiting the islands. Giant coconut crab belongs to the phylum arthropods, which also possesses a relatively high degree of endemism. Robber crab or Giant coconut crab is one such nature’s wonder which has been alluring nature scientists and wildlife enthusiasts by its giant size, tree climbing skill and super strength.

While paging through the international wildlife encyclopedia, I cam across interesting and useful information on this curious creature, which is found in the Indian Ocean Islands and into the southwest pacific. The adult robber crab grows upto 1.5’ long and 2-3 Kg weight. It has very long walking legs so are its claws. Surprisingly, it has abdominal legs on one side only, suggesting that it is descendant from hermit crab ancestor. In Andaman the coconut crab inhibits relatively secluded areas of back waters and coastal habitat having luxuriant growth of thespesia and other wetland species including coconut palms.

The crab climbs the coconut areca or sago tree with ease using its long and pointed second or third pair of walking legs. Crabs do fall from good height while climbing but don’t suffer serious injury because of the hard outer shell casing. Is it not interesting that while the young hatchlings are born in salt water and swim well, the adult crab get drowned in water! Perhaps they have forgotten the swimming habit.

It is rather difficult to catch the crab, because of its evasive, elusive nature-takes to shelter at slightest disturbance. The robber crab becomes more vulnerable when it has climbed coconut, sago or areca nut tree. Local belief is that when the robber is up a tree it can be caught by using a girder of grass high up round the trunk. When the crab comes down and its body touches the grass girder, it lets go under the impression that it has reached the ground, and falls, and it is stunned.

It appears that the giant crab’s ability to climb trees has been blown out of proportion and twisted to give the ill reputation of ‘robber’ crab or coconut crab. Several zoologists who have observed the climbing feats of Birgus latro have come to the conclusion that the crab does not tear open or ‘rob’ the coconut. It perhaps climbs the tree to nibble the tender shoots as also sip the water trapped over/ in between the leaves.

Different observations- even contradictory are made about robber crab, about its climbing coconut trees to pluck (rob) the nuts. Linnaeus, in 1769 named the mysterious reptile as BIRGUS LATRO (Latro means robber) and several theories/stories were later floated on ‘latro’. Darwin, 1845) accepted the story of robber crab eating coconuts by de husking and eating its pulp, but was skeptical about its climbing palm. He gave account of the crabs tearing away coconuts’ eyes and scoop out the pulp for eating. Some naturalists believe that after de husking, the crab holds the nut with its powerful pincer claws and bangs against some hard stone to break it. Reyne(1930), a Dutch naturalist pronounced that crabs eat coconut broken by other means. In the year 1939, May and Larsen actually watched in Herbidu forest, a crab carrying a fallen coconut to the tree top, drop it to break. Filed nine times. It broke in the tenth attempt and relished its hard earned reward. Local Nicobari Tribals don’t agree with the theory of crab robbing coconuts. They attribute the robbery to rats.

This crab found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is basically carnivore and eats even other smaller crabs. A few stronger crabs killed a weaker one and devoured the same.

As mystery shrouds around the ‘latro’ crab for its unique climbing and robbing skill, its population is on the decline due to shrinking habitat and delicious flesh for crab soup. Wild life protection Act, 1972 is also not that ‘serious’ about protection of tghese animals ‘defamed’ as robber and trapped/killed to satisfy the unending lust of human beings and concocted stories about medicinal properties of the ‘crab oil’. It is mainly found in South Sentinel Island, Car Nicobar and other areas of Nicobars, and the Act places no restrictions on the ‘traditional hunting rights’ of Nicobari Tribals of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Can we understand to save this rare and endangered crustaceans from total extinction! Its inclusion in Schedule 1 of the Act rings bell of alarm. But are we hearing the bell ?????