Robber crab steals a black boot from Dolly beach on Christmas Island

So that’s why they call them Robber Crabs: Clever crustacean lives up to its name and makes off with a shoe

  • A sneaky robber crabs snatches lone block boot on popular tourist beach
  • Taiwan-based zoologist found crab scuttling on Dolly beach on Christmas Island
  • Huge crab diligently drags a black boot from the shore with it’s front pincers

A sneaky robber crab has lived up to its name and snatched a lone black boot on a popular tourist beach. 

Taiwan-based zoologist Hung-Chang Liu, spotted the crab scuttling along the sand on Dolly beach on Christmas Island – an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean near Indonesia. 

Mr Liu regularly visits the island to study the migration of millions of red crabs from the forest to the ocean. 

A sneaky robber crabs snatched lone block boot on popular tourist beach in Australia (pictured)

Taiwan-based zoologist found the crab scuttling on the sand with the black shoe in tow on Dolly beach on Christmas Island (pictured)

Taiwan-based zoologist found the crab scuttling on the sand with the black shoe in tow on Dolly beach on Christmas Island (pictured) 

While there, he caught stunning footage of the robber crab diligently dragging a black boot along the sand with it’s front pincers. 

The persistent crustacean was determined to carry the shoe – which was almost as big as the crab – toward the sand dunes.

After the long journey, the crab settled between some debris, clutching the boot firmly between it’s pincers. 

The video that emerged online on March 15 showed another aspect of the crustacean life on Christmas Island, where the red crab migration has become a famous spectacle. 

The migration is an annual event that sees the crabs emerge from the forest and make their way to the ocean – covering roads and beaches. 

Migration starts with the first rainfall of the wet season – usually in October or November –  where the female crabs release around 100,000 eggs into the ocean after making their way across the land.  

The persistent crustacean settled between some debris and clutches the boot firmly between it's pincers (pictured)

The persistent crustacean settled between some debris and clutches the boot firmly between it’s pincers (pictured)