You may have seen hermit crabs before. They are cute and often very small crustaceans that walk along the beach carrying seashells around with them.
Meet their enormous relatives, coconut crabs. They have amazing grip strength and can lift things that are as heavy as a 10-year-old child. Their legs can reach up to a meter in length.
Coconut crabs (Birgus latro) might seem unusual: theyre absurdly large, land-dwelling, bird-hunting crustaceans. But on their isolated island homes, their peculiar traits work incredibly well for them.
Coconut crabs are a fascinating creature found in tropical islands across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. With their massive size, intimidating claws, and tree-climbing abilities, it’s no wonder these crabs have caught the curiosity of both locals and visitors for ages. One common question is – can you actually eat coconut crab? Let’s dive in and find out if this monster crab can end up on your dinner plate.
Before we get into the edibility factor, let’s do a quick rundown on what exactly coconut crabs are.
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Coconut crabs, also known as robber crabs or palm thieves are a type of terrestrial hermit crab. Their scientific name is Birgus latro.
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They are the largest land-living arthropod in the world, growing up to 3 feet wide and weighing up to 9 pounds.
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They have massive claws that can exert an incredible amount of crushing force. up to 3300 newtons or 742 pounds!
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Coconut crabs live on tropical islands and coasts in the Indo-Pacific region. Prime locations include the Seychelles, Cook Islands, and Christmas Island.
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As their name suggests, they often climb trees to feast on coconuts, their favorite food. They also eat fruits, nuts, seeds and even other crabs.
Are Coconut Crabs Edible?
The short answer is yes – coconut crabs are edible and considered a delicacy in many of the regions where they are found. The meat has been described as tasting like a cross between shrimp and lobster tail.
Coconut crab meat comes from the muscles in the body and claws. The largest chunks of meat are found in the claws and leg joints. The abdomen also contains smaller shreds of tasty meat.
Coconut crabs are prized by locals as a tasty source of fresh seafood. Hunting and harvesting the large crabs has been done for many generations in the Pacific Islands.
However, due to habitat loss and overharvesting, some populations are now endangered. There are regulations around hunting coconut crabs to help sustain populations. But regulated harvest is still allowed in most areas.
How to Cook and Eat Coconut Crab
Cooking and preparing coconut crab is part of the cultural tradition among native islanders. Here are some common cooking methods:
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Boiling – Coconut crab is often boiled briefly to cook through. This keeps the meat tender. They are boiled in saltwater, then cooled and shelled.
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Grilling – Laying the crab directly on coals or grilling over an open flame imparts a wonderful smoky flavor.
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Frying – Coconut crab meat holds up well to frying or sautéing in a pan. This adds a crispy exterior to balance the rich, sweet meat.
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Curries – In the Seychelles and other Indian ocean islands, coconut crab curry is a specialty, simmering the crab in a blend of warm spices and coconut milk.
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Soups & stews – Add chunks of crab during the last few minutes of cooking soups and stews to gently cook without overdoing it.
The cleaned meat can also be enjoyed raw in fresh preparations like ceviche with coconut, lime, and chili.
Are Coconut Crabs Toxic or Dangerous to Eat?
Most of the time, coconut crabs are completely safe to eat. However, there are a few occasions where they can become toxic due to their diet. Here’s what you need to know about the safety of eating them:
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Coconut crabs aren’t innately poisonous. The toxins come from plant materials they consume.
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Toxins are rare but can happen if they eat toxic leaves, fruits or seeds that contain chemicals unsafe for human consumption.
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The toxins won’t harm the crabs but can be passed on if humans eat their meat. Symptoms include numbness, nausea, and paralysis.
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Coconut crabs that feed only on coconuts and normal vegetation are 100% safe to eat without risk of toxins being present.
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When in doubt, ask local fishermen about the crabs’ diet and if any regional toxin issues are known before consuming.
How strong is a coconut crab?
People who have tried to open a coconut before know how hard it can be. Not so for a coconut crab.
Coconut crabs have two big, strong pincers that they can use to easily pound and tear through the tough shell of a coconut.
If people try to pick up crabs from the front instead of the back, Miranda says, they may know what crab pincers are. When a coconut crab’s front claws are closed, the pincers have a serrated edge that looks like teeth. Theyre used to crack open the coconuts.
The squeeze of a coconut crabs pincers can be much stronger than a humans grip. Scientists tested the force exerted by 29 wild coconut crabs, unintentionally getting themselves pinched several times  in the process, and found a maximum force of a little over 1,765 newtons. For reference, humans have a maximum bite force of between 1,100 and 1,300 newtons, based on a study using virtual models of human skulls.
There is a link between mass and pincer force in coconut crabs. The bigger the crab, the stronger their pincers are. © John Tann via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
The bigger the mass of the crab, the greater the pincer force. When scaled up for a fully grown, four-kilogram coconut crab, the maximum force would be around 3,300 newtons.
Coconut crabs can also lift up to about 30 kilograms, approximately the weight of a 10-year-old child. Their powerful claws and strength are essential for accessing their various food sources.
What do coconut crabs eat?
Coconut crabs are known to eat the white flesh inside green coconuts. Their name may give it away.
Miranda says that their walking legs are shaped like claws and are curved. They have an inward grip that lets them climb palm trees and other trees.
Curved legs and an inward grip make coconut crabs excellent climbers © KYTan via Shutterstock
Coconuts arent all theyll munch on, however. Coconut crabs will eat fallen fruit, nuts and seeds.Â
Perhaps unexpectedly for crabs, they are also rather ruthless predators.
Other crabs only live near or in the water, and they eat dead animals like marine worms and the meat of other dead crabs among other things. Theyre not exactly vicious hunters.
Coconut crabs, however, are known predators of rats, others of their own species and even large migratory seabirds, such as boobies that they find nesting on their islands. They have been spotted mounting attacks in the dark of the night and grabbing unsuspecting prey that pass too close to the crabs burrows.
Miranda says, Its an adaptation because of their food source. On land, some of the time they have to find something else other than coconuts.
Coconut crabs broad diets have even led some to suggest that the reason famed aviator Amelia Earhart was never found when she disappeared mid-flight over the Pacific Ocean was because she was devoured by coconut crabs after perishing on Nikumaroro island.Â
Coconut crabs have a varied diet including fruits, seeds and animals such as rats and seabirds © fearlessRich via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Huge Coconut Crab!! (UNLIKE Any Other Crab on Earth!!) South Pacific Islands
Can you eat coconut crabs?
For all the talk about this animal’s terrifying eating habits, some adventurous foodies might be curious as to whether they can eat coconut crabs themselves. As it turns out, coconut crabs are indeed edible for humans. On some islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, these crabs are served as a delicacy or sometimes even as an aphrodisiac.
What does coconut crab taste like?
It has a taste similar to lobster or regular crab meat, but some describe it as the taste of peanut butter. Coconut crab eggs and fat in the abdomen are considered the most delicious parts. People eat coconut crabs after steaming or boiling them. Does coconut crab taste like crab? Yes.
Are coconut crabs edible?
Yes. coconut crab is edible and they are delicacies in some countries, including the Solomon Islands, Malaysia, and Polynesia. People of those countries cook coconut crabs in different ways. They are also considered a delicacy in parts of India’s Lakshadweep islands, where they were introduced to help control the island’s green slug problem.
What is a coconut crab?
Let’s find out more about this unique species The coconut crab, also recognized as the palm thief or robber crab, is a terrestrial hermit crab species found in the Pacific and Indian oceans. It is the only species of the Birgus genus and known as the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world.