Walnut Crab World's Largest Crab That Eat Coconuts

Walnut crab is said to be the largest crab in the world.

They can weigh up to 4 kg, with a body length of up to 40 cm and a leg span of about 200 cm . Age can reach 30 years.

This coconut-eating arthropod can be found in several places in Indonesia , including in the Togean Islands, Tojo Una-Una Regency, Central Sulawesi .

So far, there has not been much research on why the walnut crab [ Birgus latro ] likes coconut. However , he is called the robber crab because he often steals coconuts as food.

Walnut crab is said to be the largest crab in the world. It can weigh up to 4 kg, with a body length of up to 40 cm and a leg span of about 200 cm. Age can reach 30 years.

This animal has several names. Starting from coconut crabs, thief crabs or coconut crabs. This coconut-eating arthropod can be found in several places in Indonesia, including in the Togean Islands, Tojo Una-Una Regency, Central Sulawesi.

In the Togean Islands, the habitat of walnut crabs is usually in hollow rocks on the coast and also in rock holes between wood scraps. To get it, residents lure it by scattering pieces of coconut meat around the hole. Usually the walnut crab will smell the coconut, then come out and eat it at night.

"However, because it is consumed and sold it makes it even more difficult to obtain," said Sarding Matorang, a fisherman in Kadoda Village, Talatako District, Togean Islands, early February 2023.

Walnut crab prices range from 50-100 thousand Rupiah per kilogram. The buyers usually come from the city and order from residents. The impact is that it is increasingly difficult to find it in the Togean Islands region.

The Togean Islands have underwater beauty which is a destination for foreign tourists.

"Most tourists want to see first hand the appearance and shape of the crabs that have the ability to climb coconut trees," explained Sarding.

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Eat coconut

The Indonesian Institute of Sciences [ LIPI ], which is now BRIN, said that the catch of walnut crabs for the menu in restaurants has increased, which has led to an increase in trade.

"Its gigantic size and delicious meat make many people want to enjoy it as a dish," wrote LIPI researchers.

So far, there hasn't been much research on why the walnut crab [ Birgus latro ] likes coconut. However, he is called the robber crab because he often steals coconuts as food. The claws have great strength capable of lifting weights up to 29 kilograms. Its distribution is in the tropics from Africa to the Islands in the Pacific.

Publication by Heryanto and Daisy Wowor from the Zoology Sector, Center for Biological Research - LIPI/BRIN, entitled "Study of Kenari Crab Population on Batudaka Island, Togean Islands, Central Sulawesi. The goal, for self-consumption or sold to big cities to be served in restaurants.

This research says, in Indonesia walnut crabs live in rocky coral islands. On islands that are not inhabited by humans, canary crabs can be found out during the day, whereas when living side by side with humans they only come out at night.

"Details of biological properties not found. Coconut fruit baits proved to be the most effective, drawing walnut crabs out of their holes,” the researchers wrote.

The two researchers also said that there was no definite data regarding the size of the walnut crab population and the number of illegal arrests on the islands of Eastern Indonesia.

"A conservation effort must be created because it is closely related to the life of the people in the Togean Islands," said the researcher.

According to this research, efforts to preserve walnut crabs in the Togean Islands were carried out on two objects, namely. habitat and the canary crab itself. For habitat, there should be no attempt to remove hiding holes, either by dismantling or stockpiling them for other purposes.

As for the walnut crab itself, the collection must be done by paying attention to its sustainability. This can be done by limiting the amount, size, type, conditions, as well as time and space for collection.