Roads turned red this week as millions of red crabs on Christmas Island emerged from the centre of the island for their annual migration journey on the island off the coast of Western Australia. With a population of over 100 million, the crabs are unique to the island — much of which is designated as a national park — and protected by Australian law. The migration, that usually lasts for days, sees the crabs journey from the island off the coast of Western Australia to the ocean, where they mate

After hatching as larvae, the red crabs live in the sea for a month before returning to shore. | National Geographic

🦀 The Great Red Crab Migration — Explained 🌍 Every year on Christmas Island, millions of red crabs pour out of the forest and head straight for the ocean the moment the rains hit. Their mission is simple: mate, release their eggs, and keep the cycle going. 🌧🌊 The scale is unreal. Roads shut down, rangers put up crab crossings, and the island basically turns red as 40–50 million crabs move at once. 🌉 They even time the entire journey to the moon, releasing their eggs on the night with the st