The largest land-dwelling crustacean on Earth is a crab that can be as long as 3 feet in length and weigh up to 9 pounds. The coconut crab, named for the most significant part of its diet, needs a lot of food to get that big. And while this massive beast is strong enough to crack open coconuts for most of its sustenance, the coconut crab has also been observed to eat fruit, leaves, and the molted exoskeletons of other animals. But it doesn’t stop there because these crabs are not picky when it comes to filling themselves with food. Coconut crabs have also been observed to eat birds, kittens, and even each other!
The disappearance of Amelia Earhart is a tragic fascination for people all over the world. And one of many theories to her disappearance and probable death is that the famous pilot was devoured by coconut crabs. On the remote atoll of Nikumaroro, researchers discovered a fraction of a skeleton that fit the description and timeline of Amelia Earhart. To investigate, the researchers left a pig carcass to see how the crabs would respond to it. Gruesomely, the crabs devoured the pig, leaving scraps of bone scattered in their wake.
While there are many likely scenarios explaining the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, the horrifying possibility that the icon may have been devoured by monstrous crabs is just awful enough to send chills down the spine.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/footage-coconut-crab-attacks-and-eats-seabird-Indian-ocean
Right click and “save image as” to share the gift of knowledge!
