Blue Land Crabs are crossing the road in Pos Chikito and need to be protected

Last week the DOW to warn drivers that the blue land crab breeding season is beginning has installed several warning signs “Land Crab Crossing” near the roads in Pos Chikito. These signs are yellow with black text. The signs will be removed as soon as the breeding season and road crossing is over.

What is a Blue Land Crab? The blue land crab is a categorized as a crustacean in the Decapoda order, as Cardisoma. Its scientific name is Cardisoma Guanhumi. It is a land crab and has a blueish tone. The colors can differ a bit. While still young, their color is still brownish, and changes to purple or orange in their transition time while the female can turn yellow or white during the breeding season. The Blue land crab is often seen near areas with plenty of mangroves and humid soils. These crabs are less active during the dry season, and have their holes covered and re appear as soon as the rainy season starts. They dig their holes until they reach plenty of humidity for their normal development. They eat decomposed and softer plants they find in mud, crawling insects, scorpions, bird remains and any other dead animal.

The DNM is requesting the community to drive with caution near the Pos Chikito crossing site, indicated with the warning signs, but also near the Santo Largo beach in Savaneta.

The breeding season of the blue land crab runs from June until July every year. The blue land crabs make their way to the ocean during full moon to wash their eggs off.

These crabs have a high ecological value for the mangroves on the coastline and the conservation of these crabs is crucial for the preservation of the surrounding bushes near the mangroves.

The blue land crab undergoes various dangerous phases in their lives as they grow. Humans and road traffic cause one of these hazards. Over development and road constructions without taking into account  that the crabs needs to cross, limits the amount of crabs that reach to ocean during breeding. Many crabs do not finish the trip to the ocean to lay their eggs, since they are ran over by inconsiderate drivers.

The thoughtless picking off driftwood near the beaches also puts the lives of the juvenile crabs at risk, as these are hideouts for the young crabs.

Please drive with caution during these weeks near Pos Chikito and Santo Largo where indicated with the caution signs.

For more information, please contact the DNM immediately on Facebook dnmaruba or infraruba.com upon seeing the blue land crabs crossing.