One of the first animals to greet you at Lr3 is the land crab. You might not know they’ve said hello because they scamper back into their hole as soon as you approach, but the network of their dens can be easily seen. Ranging in size from coin sized to small cat, colors from fluorescent orange and blue to dull grey or tan, the land crabs are constantly moving the sand out of their tunnels.
On Lighthouse Reef, the blue land crab thrives in our coastal and mangrove areas. These crabs adapt to both terrestrial and semi-terrestrial environments, playing a key role in maintaining the ecological balance of their habitats. With robust, clawed legs and hard exoskeletons, they feed on organic matter such as leaves, fruits, and detritus, helping recycle nutrients and aerate soil. When it’s calm out, if you sit quietly, you can see them emerge to munch on fallen mangrove leaves.
- Likely species: Cardisoma guanhumi