Do Not Disturb
This young ayuyu, or coconut crab, collapsed into its borrowed shell when I disturbed it.
Ayuyu are the world's largest land invertebrates and can reach body sizes up to 16 inches with leg spans more than three feet. Born in the ocean, they spend about a month as larvae before sinking to the bottom and finding shells to protect them while migrating to shore. Once ashore they live much like hermit crabs until growing a hard abdominal shell of their own and can live over 60 years with no natural predators other than other ayuyu and humans.
Do Not Disturb
This young ayuyu, or coconut crab, collapsed into its borrowed shell when I disturbed it.
Ayuyu are the world's largest land invertebrates and can reach body sizes up to 16 inches with leg spans more than three feet. Born in the ocean, they spend about a month as larvae before sinking to the bottom and finding shells to protect them while migrating to shore. Once ashore they live much like hermit crabs until growing a hard abdominal shell of their own and can live over 60 years with no natural predators other than other ayuyu and humans.