Creature Feature: Crabs Rule in Providencia

Sign along the western road announcing the closure for crabs

You might know that Anne is a crab geek, not surprising since she spent nearly twenty years doing crustacean research for the State of Florida. And Chris likes to eat crabs. So, we were intrigued by the signs we saw on Providencia regarding the black land crab Gecarcinus ruricola. Travelling in the Caribbean, you’ve probably seen the holes that these crabs occupy in forested areas, often far from the water, or wondered W.T.F? upon finding a crab claw high up a mountain. They’re also often found in the market or on the menu if you want a taste. The species is nocturnal, and their skittering about in the dark, clicking across a road or rustling through the undergrowth, can be unnerving if you don’t know what it is. Anyway, it’s precisely these wanderings that bring attention to the crab during mating season. Though terrestrial as adults, larval development occurs in the ocean. Adults migrate from the forest to the ocean to spawn, then back to the forest. Initial larval development occurs at sea, then megalopal-stage larvae (looking mostly like little crabs at this point) migrate back ashore and head to the forest. And these are not small migrations; the population on Providencia was estimated at three million. If a road lies between forest and ocean…well, you can imagine the mess. Consequently, from April 1 to July 31, a portion of the road that runs along the western side of Providencia is closed to all vehicles. Since the road around the island is a loop, this means a lot of detouring back around the eastern side of the island. Time-consuming, perhaps, but it’s done for the purpose of conserving the species, which is good thing. They show a film of the black land crab migration at the Lighthouse Café/Cinema/Art House, but we unfortunately didn’t make it. Fellow crab geeks can find detailed analyses of black land crab population biology and reproduction on Providencia and San Andrés in these articles from the Journal of Crustacean Biology. And if you want to feel a little squirmy, check out this video of migrating adult and larval red land crabs (related species) on Christmas Island – not the exact species as on Providencia, but related, and the same general idea.

Crab information alongside the trail to the Peak

Crab migration documentary at the Lighthouse

The black land crab is even featured at a bus stop

Scaling the Peak in Providencia

The highest point in Providencia, not quite 1,200 feet high, is a peak appropriately called the Peak. It’s part of a national park with a hike to the top, so we, of course, had to go. Bus service on the island is sparce, but it is available to the Peak. We were dropped off in Bottom House, a little settlement at the south end of the island, first thing in the morning (because it gets bloody hot here later in the day). The start of the trail is well marked, sporting a deck with seating and a great map of the route burned into a large wooden plaque. The trail was pretty evident, so off we went. There was signage along the way for various plants and animals, as well as some warnings, such as that the ants climbing on the acacia trees bite (yes, they do, as Anne found out after grabbing an acacia for support and meeting up with some of the ants). We had some friends who hiked the trail several years ago and pronounced some sections as challenging, but new, sturdy wooden bridges now span the streams and pools with shifty and difficult-to-traverse rocks. Still challenging are some of the steep portions of the trail, especially if they’re muddy. We kept passing small groups on their way down, and every single one of them said “You’re almost there,” regardless of where we were. Liars, all of them. At last most of the trail was beneath the trees, although it got pretty sunny and hot at the peak. The hike is totally worth it, with incredible views of the northern reefs, the reservoir down at Bahia Agua Dulce, and the anchorage by Santa Catalina. A beautiful place to relax and eat lunch. On the way down, we stopped at a small stream-fed pool to wash off the mud, soak our feet, and wet our shirts to cool us down. We passed another couple just starting up, and we did NOT tell them that they were almost there. We actually hiked the Peak again a couple of weeks later time with some cruising friends. It was worth a second look, and we highly recommend the trip if you get to Providencia.

...sometimes a boardwalk...

...and sometimes nearly straight up

From the Peak, beautiful views of the northern reef...

...and the anchorage and Santa Catalina

Mermaid atop a mountain

The traffic we had to maneuver through leaving bottom House

Update on the Awesome Stinging Cauliflower Jellyfish

Be amazed at the complexity of the stinging cauliflower jellyfish

I previously did a blog post on the stinging cauliflower jellyfish, a species we saw in Bocas del Toro. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a camera when we first saw it, so there were no pics of this incredible creature. However, last winter, out in the dinghy at Tierra Oscura area, we encountered dozens of the huge jellyfish-eating jellyfish. I took these photos by sticking my underwater camera over the side of the dinghy. There was no way I was going in the water with these beasts!Consider that the bell portion of the jellyfish is about the size of a basket ball, and those tentacles extend forever below.

Those fish are not caught, but swimming amongst the tentacles

Just a beautiful image of the bell as it pulsates