So apparently this guy is a coconut crab. I did some research on them and it turns out they’re nature’s worst thing. Here’s a list of horrible facts about them: They are the largest land animals with exoskeletons growing up to 3 feet long and weighing up to 9 lbs. They live up to 30 years. They climb coconut trees, shake down the fruits, then use their claws to tear open the shells. When they’re young they use the shells of other animals like hermit crabs, but as adults they’re too big to fit in anyone’s shell. They steal pots from humans and wear them as armor. Sometimes they’ll even use coconut husks as shells, as pictured below. They’ll also eat smaller crabs and have been known to eat rats. [via moarrawr]
The absolute worst thing about coconut crabs? They ate Amelia Earhart. It’s true! Recent discoveries suggest that coconut crabs ate her flesh and hoarded her bones in their crab burrows. Researchers hope that some of her remains can still be found in the crab burrows on Nikumaroro island, the desert island where she died. Below are some horrible pictures of these terrible things:
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