http://edition.cnn.com/TRAVEL/NEWS/9712/19/australia.crabs/ Article CHRISTMAS ISLAND, Australia (CNN) -- Given that it's the festive season, one might expect Australia's Christmas Island to be decked out in all sorts of holiday finery. But it's not tinsel that's providing the spectacle -- it's the annual migration of 120 million red crabs from the island's rainforest down to the sea. Situated about 500 kilometers (311 miles) south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, the Australian island witnesses the migration just before Christmas every year. The bright red crabs are certainly in keeping with the season, although some people don't take kindly to sharing the roads with the scurrying crustaceans. The island, by the way, got its name when Captain William Mynors became the first European to spot it -- on December 25, 1643. Caption info/photos: Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/publications/pubs/red-crab-brochure.pdf Official brochure http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/christmas/fauna/redcrabs.html good page for info & pictures http://www.metacafe.com/watch/80129/christmas_island_red_crabs/ Good video http://www.funonthenet.in/content/view/171/31/ Pictures The one-year spectacle of the red crab migration attracts the interest of national and international visitors as well as the local community. This unique happening can be easily observed. During peak migration times, sections of roads where crabs cross in high numbers may be closed to vehicles for short periods of time. You can park your vehicle and carefully walk amongst the moving sea of crabs as they relentlessly make their way to and from the shore. http://crazytopics.blogspot.com/2007/02/christmas-island-red-crab-migration.html Every year one of the most spectacular migrations in nature occurs on Christmas Island, when over 150 million red crabs move from inland shelters to the shore for their annual breeding season. At the beginning of the wet season (usually October / November), Red Crabs suddenly begin a spectacular migration from the forest to the coast, to breed and release eggs into the sea. Breeding is usually synchronized island wide. The main migration commences on the plateau and can last up to 18 days. Masses of crabs gather into broad columns as they move toward the coast, climbing down high inland cliff faces, and over or around all obstacles in their way, following routes used year after year for both downward and return migrations. Once at the coast males retreat to the lower terraces and dig burrows. The females then also move to the terraces and mating occurs. The females produce eggs within 3 days of mating and remain in the moist burrows on the terraces for 12-13 days while they develop. The eggs are held in a brood pouch between their extended abdomen and thorax. A single female can brood up to 100,000 eggs! After about a month in the ocean, and after growing through several larval stages, the surviving larvae have developed into prawn-like animals called megalopae. The megalopae gather in pools close to the shore for 1-2 days before changing into young crabs and leaving the water. Although only 5mm across, the baby crabs begin their march inland, taking about 9 days to reach the plateau. Here they seem to disappear and are rarely seen, living in rocky outcrops and under fallen tree branches and debris on the forest floor for the first three years of their life. Christmas Island Red Crab Christmas Island Red Crab Whatch the story made by RealityTV about Red Crab migration: Christmas Island Red Crabs - video powered by Metacafe Menu * Home * Contact Previous posts * Top 10 Vampire Myths * 10 Most Expensive Paintings * Craziest Laws in America * Craziest X-rays * Headstone epitaph secret message * Worst slogan translations * 70000 beer cans found in townhouse * Dumbest deaths in history * Bicycle lift * Crazy tire sculpture Archives * December 2006 * January 2007 * February 2007 * March 2007 Links * Funny Pictures * Fun Cram * FUN24/7 * Titan Icons * e-LauGhs * Free PSP wallpapers Craziest X-rays Craziest X-rays Snowflake magnified Snowflake Magnified 36000 Times Lichtenberg figures Lichtenberg Figures Largest Diamonds 10 Largest Diamonds In The World Crazy laws in America Craziest Laws In America Most expensive paintings 10 Most Expensive Paintings Ship graveyard Largest Ship Graveyard eXTReMe Tracker