Giant Coconut Crabs Join Amelia Earhart Search Expedition

A 17-person expedition searching for Amelia Earhart's missing plane has found some unexpected company on a remote Pacific island: coconut crabs with pincers powerful enough to crack open their namesake fruit.

The Purdue University research team arrived at Nikumaroro Island this week to investigate a mysterious object that could be Earhart's Lockheed Electra. They're sleeping on their boat rather than camping on shore, partly because of the enormous crabs that emerge at night.

The decision isn't stopping the team's work. Researchers have already spent two hours clearing an overgrown trail to the island's lagoon, encountering at least four of the massive crustaceans along the way. The animals watched but didn't interfere as crew members used machetes and chainsaws to open up the path.

Coconut crabs are the largest land arthropods on Earth. They can live more than 40 years, climb trees, and maintain multiple burrows across their territory. Their serrated claws work like teeth to break through tough shells.

Scientists who tested 29 wild coconut crabs found they can generate over 1,765 newtons of force with their pincers. That's stronger than the maximum human bite force of 1,100 to 1,300 newtons.

One expedition member, Sirisha Bandla, posed for a photo holding one of the giant crabs, its long legs and claws extending outward. The image shows just how large these creatures can grow.

Expedition member Renato LaRocca, who had visited Nikumaroro before, acknowledged the wildlife challenge but called the island "a magical place." The team says the crabs haven't posed any actual threat to their operations.

The Bright Side

The researchers remain in excellent spirits despite the unusual roommates. Rick Pettigrew, expedition leader and executive director of the Archaeological Legacy Institute, says the capable Kiribati crew is taking great care of the team.

The expedition is following the Nikumaroro Hypothesis, which suggests Earhart's plane went down near this remote island. Earhart was 39 when she and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared on July 2, 1937, during one of the final legs of her attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world.

The team is investigating satellite imagery showing an anomaly some researchers believe could be the missing aircraft. They're working carefully through the island's challenges, giant crabs included, to potentially solve one of aviation's greatest mysteries.

Sometimes the most important searches come with the most unusual obstacles, and this team is proving that a few prehistoric-looking crustaceans won't stop the hunt for answers.