Get your claws off our food! Terrifying moment cannibalistic robber crabs invade family camping trip on remote Australian island

UK Daily Mail ^ | September 24, 2020 | Claudia Poposki

[C19fan]

A family trying to enjoy a spring camping barbecue on an idyllic Australian island got more than they bargained for when quickly surrounded by dozens of giant robber crabs.

The ferocious looking crustaceans, also known as coconut crabs, measure up to a metre in length and have a strong sense of smell.

As the unwitting family enjoyed an al fresco barbecue while camping on isolated Christmas Island, off Western Australia's far north-west, the crabs swarmed around them looking for food.

[Jonty30]

Oh, that Australia.

[Bonemaker]

They are lucky the crabs didn’t start eating them...it’s Australia after all.

[Pollard]

Terrifying moment cannibalistic robber crabs invade family camping trip

That should only be terrifying if you’re a crab

[NautiNurse]

There is a theory that Amelia Earhart survived landing on a remote Pacific island, only to be consumed by coconut crabs.

[Pollard]

They only come out at night
mean and hungry type

[Osage Orange]

Antifa/BLM are better at terror..than coconut crabs.

[GulfMan]

Kill them, kill them all .... j/k

[Ken H]

>>Tonight’s feature on Monster Chiller Horror Theater is The Cannibalistic Robber Crabs Invade Alice Springs starring Paul Hogan, George Lazenby, Olivia Newton-John, Jacko, and Canberra the Wonder Dingo. <<

______

“That’s not a crab. THAT’S a crab.”

[Phillyred]

[Ken H]

Yep, they look terror-stricken.

[John S Mosby]

Protected species. Other islanders eat them— they taste, so they say— great. The “meter long” comment is wrong— not in these photos— unless they are counting spider leg end to end.

[JohnnyP]

Kill one, leave it for the others.

[avenir]

[ETCM]

Those are Coconut Crabs, and if I were there, the crabs would be the ones in fear. They are delicious. It must be illegal to take them on Christmas Island, or there wouldn’t any left.

[TalBlack]

It’s a barbecue, right?
These ae crabs, right?
So break out the butter...

Talk about ‘take out’, this is dinner walking right in.

[Vigilanteman]

Garlic butter is the best. Just asking for a friend, how do giant robber crabs taste?

I'm wondering that if a few of them got skewered and put on the spit if the rest of them would've gotten the idea to move on.

[avenir]

These Robber Crabs are known as "gentle giants". But books have been written about their murderous kin!

[Sirius Lee]

Australia again.

Animal version of "Florida Man"?

[rfp1234]

[Oatka]

Oh I am reminded of an old Men’s Adventure Magazine in which crabs are attacking a guy and his hot half naked girl!

Ah those old Men’s magazines.....Always promised more than they delivered.

Oh Geez, I remember them from the '50s. Got sucked in every time.