Why You Need To Report Sightings Of This Land Crab In North Carolina If You Spot One
By Carolyn Harmon|Published September 27, 2023
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Carolyn Harmon
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Under Brown Mountain Lights the Beast of Blandenboro wanders this magical land where lighthouses shine on kingdoms only accessible by ferries. A Lost Colony of legends and pirates revealed in historical sites and majestic mountains with views that make us weep. The home of handmade sculptures and scrumptious cuisine. North Carolina leaves this long-time writer and artist breathless with endless surprises, including the unlikely warmth a winter walk on the beach can bring.
The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries is asking for our help in finding blue land crabs in North Carolina. Cardisoma guanhumi is a non-native species to the Carolinas, and they look like giant fiddler crabs. Biologists are asking for the public’s assistance to learn more about why the blue crabs are here, where they are, and their possible impacts on the environment.
These crabs are native to the Atlantic coast from Brazil to South Florida, but a few sightings have been reported in South Carolina since 2008.
The first confirmed blue land crab sighting in North Carolina was spotted in Emerald Isle, North Carolina in the summer of 2023, which is where we'd like to show up too.
Biologists suspect we may see the crabs following heavy rains which can drive them from their burrows.
And watch out for their large pointed claw - these guys have serious tools to defend themselves.
Researchers are trying to learn the extent of the crab's distribution throughout the Carolinas and how it might impact the environment and other wildlife.
