There are an estimated 45 million (yes, million) red. Condé Nast Traveler does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. They also cannibalize other Christmas Island red crabs. Kiritimati Atoll was sighted on Christmas Eve in 1777 by the English When the females arrive, the crabs mate in these burrows. The official language of Christmas Island is English. display: inline-block; 1891. To witness the majestic sights and social intricacies of this wonderful country, head for the coordinates of 10.4833° S, 105.6333° E for your very own Christmas Island adventure! Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. The Giant Gecko is the first reptile on this list that can still be found as a wild population on the island. Christmas Island was formed around 60 million years ago when a basalt volcanic seamount (an underwater mountain) rose 5,000 metres from the ocean floor! Relatively recently, the species immigrated to the nearby Cocos (Keeling) Islands, but the number of crabs on the Cocos Islands is much lower than on Christmas Island. Explore the world's oddities every week with Ken Jennings, and check out his book Maphead for more geography trivia. Picnic facilities, BBQs, showers, and public toilets are always available. If the Spaniards had got there just one day earlier, the city might still be called St. Margaret the Barefooted today. Service area covers the NW Pacific, SE Asia, and eastern Indian Oceans... Read More. Check your knowledge with these fascinating facts about the island and its national park. Interestingly, almost half of the island’s unique plant life is found nowhere else in Australia. Christmas Island experiences a tropical equatorial climate. This tiny dog-shaped island was named on Christmas Day, 1643 by an English sea captain. The highest point of the island is Murray Hill, at 361 metres above sea level. To add an anchorage click on the map to place the red marker. You must not touch a stranger’s head in Christmas Island, as it is considered extremely intimate… Ooh err! When was the island first settled? Weather forecasts including for the high seas and tropical cyclone information are available from Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology website. Christmas Island Police (Australian Federal Police)  – Dial 000, See General Info/Emergencies for more details. In the age of exploration, it was common for European sailors to name geographic features in honor of the day they were first sighted. Males reach the shore first and dig burrows. font-size: 14px; It is the largest island of purely coral formation in the world, having a circumference of about 100 miles (160 km). The Territory of Christmas Island is an Australian external territory comprising the island of the same name. Condé Nast Traveler may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Amazingly, around 2/3 of the island is a national park! Christmas Islanders enjoy a tropical climate with a dry season from. Some of the land crabs you might see here are: Christmas Island’s invertebrates include 14 types of snail, 28 types of butterfly, 70 types of moth, 90 types of beetle, 30 types of spider, 1 species of scorpion and 5 species of false scorpions. Christmas Island is a favourite port of call for yachts on passage to or from the, The island has a permanent population of about 1850 people who live on the north of the island around the main settlement of. } The Christmas Island red crab (Gecarcoidea natalis) is a land crab famous for its epic annual mass migration to the sea to spawn. Strong and erratic currents are often experienced at Flying Fish Cove. It is a natural wonder that is popular for being home to the red crab. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 1/1/20) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 1/1/20) and Your California Privacy Rights. It was named for a local indigenous Mi'kmaq family that used "Christmas" as a surname. Christmas Island has been reported as having a low crime rate. Not much is known about this particular gecko, except that it it can only be found on Christmas Island, living in the forests of the island. They are preyed upon by coconut crabs. Its industry consists of tourism and phosphate extraction. The crab exoskeletons can puncture tires, plus the crabs die from being crushed. Diving into the clear and warm Indian Ocean is a relishing experience for most swimmers and divers. Christmas Island red crab distribution map. Did you know that Christmas Island was actually named after its discovery on. For links to free global weather information, forecast services and extreme weather information see the Noonsite Weather Page. Christmas Island, officially Territory of Christmas Island, island in the Indian Ocean, about 224 miles (360 km) south of the island of Java and 870 miles (1,400 km) northwest of Australia, that is administered as an external territory of Australia. Based on the life expectancy of related crabs, the Christmas Island red crab probably lives 20 to 30 years. color: #888; 16 Sensational Facts about The Solomon Islands. With cliffs around most of the coast, there is only one suitable anchorage on the northwest of the island, at, There are limited services for visiting yachts. The two most obvious December discoveries on the globe have the same name: Christmas Island. The currency is the Australian dollar (AUD). Ants are not the only threat Christmas Island red crabs face. YachtFlags.com offers a discount to Noonsite members. The island is the summit of an oceanic mountain whose highest point on the island is Murray Hill, rising to 1,184 feet (361 metres) in the western part of the … Crabs molt several times as juveniles, but usually once a year as adults. The Meaning Behind the 12 Days of Christmas. At the beginning of the rainy season (October to November), the crabs increase activity and travel to the coast for spawning. margin: 0 1rem 0 0; This tiny dog-shaped island was named on Christmas Day, 1643 by an English sea captain. In the 1990s, the population of red crabs was estimated to be 43.7 million. Which Countries Spend the Most on Christmas? There’s usually an annual migration of the red crabs, whereby an enormous number of red crabs, about 100 million, move to the sea for the purpose of spawning. Park rangers have set up crab fences to direct the crustaceans to protected underpasses and bridges.

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