Coconut crabs got their name because they can crack open a coconut using their powerful claws — something very few animals on Earth can do. First they strip away the fibrous husk, then they use a special pointed tip on one claw to pierce the coconut's eye before levering the shell apart. It can take an hour, but the crab is patient and the reward is the rich white coconut meat inside.
These crabs spend their whole adult lives on land — unlike most crabs, which need to stay near the sea. They breathe through special organs that work like lungs when kept moist, and they come to the sea only as tiny babies before returning to the land. They love to climb palm trees at night, and their long legs mean they can reach surprisingly high branches.
On Kiribati's quieter islands and atolls, coconut crabs come out after dark to forage for fallen fruit, coconuts, and scraps. They have a strong sense of smell and can detect food from quite a distance. Local people have traditionally eaten coconut crabs as a valued food, and on protected islands the population can grow very large indeed.