DOWN UNDER — There’s no doubt that the U.S. has its fair share of impressive wildlife migrations.
From pronghorn traversing sagebrush-scattered land across the lower 48 on their “Path of the Pronghorn” to monarch butterflies fleeing to warmer climates to avoid the cold, there are many great migrations undertaken.
But one that has always interested me is currently underway in Australia, as millions of red crabs emerge from the forests of Christmas Island, making way toward their coastal breeding grounds.
This video shows how jaw-dropping the path is, with red crabs populating streets, sidewalks, parking lots and any other urban and natural space imaginable on their route.
Many roads on Christmas Island also close during the annual migration to protect the crabs.
Once in the ocean, the crabs mate. Afterward, the males begin their journey inland, followed by the females after depositing their eggs into the ocean. Around 21 days after spawning, the baby red crabs return to their parents.
Upon witnessing the migration, famed British naturalist Sir David Attenborough — known for his narration of “Life on Earth” and “The Blue Planet — described the journey as one of his greatest television moments.
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