Even if you're a coconut crab!
After walking around Sipadan looking for nesting turtles (didn't see any that night), we decided to go into the forest. Sipadan is a small island, 600m long, 400m wide and has a forest. Just we were about to leave the police quarters (a part of the previous resort from where Malaysians and tourists were kidnapped by the Abu Sayyef some years ago) we met this guy - clad in blue 20th century plastic garment. You see, a coconut crab is a hermit crab, period. In it's early life, this naked-born crab has to find something to cover his private parts - which is the abdomen (This is Malaysia, you can be charged for being naked in the open!). So, yes, he tried on many shells and other things - finally he thought this blue bottle cap is the best.
I showed this picture to Datin Glenda Noramly the next day - and she said "I like this guy - he's got style". Sure, I thought. And branded too - the brand is Dynamo. Here goes:
This guy has got to grow with style and will not settle on one brand - obviously the washing liquid bottle cap is standard-issue and will never grow. So a large coconut crab, like what I posted earlier, is entitled to be naked in the open.
n/b - at night, and if you see a clumsy coconut crab go down to the shore, you can be sure that it is a female wanting to disperse her eggs into the water. The larvae spend life in the water as planktons before coming up ashore and fitting its abdomen into any empty shell.
Would you eat a coconut crab? I don't think I would but it is on sale in KK - OCEAN seafood restaurant to be exact - because I saw one there.
Hamid.
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