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Sometimes, hungry Sally lightfoot crabs at Tagus Cove feast in the most surprising manner. These vibrant crustaceans, commonly observed near rocky coasts, resemble ten-legged vultures in their swiftness and ability to gather little food with their claws quickly. There is a myth that the crab was named after a dancer from the Caribbean, which makes sense, considering that it can sprint forward, sideways, and backward.
In this journal entry from one of our Galapagos cruise expeditions, we invite you to read about our experience with a specific and rather quarrelsome group of crabs that we encountered.
Anchored in No Man’s Land: A Serene Interlude
Throughout the Galapagos, volcanic landscapes are a common feature of the geography. Most of the terrain is composed of black solid rock or yellowish tuff formations, typically associated with these relatively young sections of Earth. Tagus Cove, a naturally occurring bay made of tuff, is situated in Isabela Island’s northwest. The adventure at Tagus Cove begins with a brief panga ride from the Santa Cruz II cruise.
Darwin Lake is located on the opposite side of the harbor, slightly above the hill, and is arguably one of the most breathtaking views in the entire archipelago. The lake is a saltwater crater nearly perfectly spherical and offers views of the surrounding island and ocean.
The renowned scientist Charles Darwin strolled down the shoreline and named this scarce place.
Sally Lightfoot Crabs at Tagus Cove: Invasion of the Opportunists
Today, we received a fantastic gift from a relatively “common” small species. Our panga driver, Johnny, saw a sally lightfoot crab that had just taken a fish as we made our way to the walk. It was so cool to watch this in and of itself. Even more impressive, though, was how other crabs realized their colleague had been caught and began “running” in his direction as soon as the crab walked over the tuff.
These vibrant crabs are opportunistic predators, which means they will consume nearly anything they come into contact with. This includes dead fish, cracked eggs, bird droppings, sea lion placenta, newborn sea turtles, other crabs, and young birds. For this diversified diet, their claws come in quite handy, acting as strong, pointed spoons with which they shred apart the meal and then spoon out the contents.
However, on occasion, the claws become more than just practical tools—they become weapons. There will inevitably be a food struggle among the few crabs as the other crabs got closer. A complete fish is, after all, an incredible discovery. The other crabs caught up to the original prizewinner in a matter of seconds. Encircling the crab and its trophy, all five of the medium-sized crabs excitedly engaged in a tug-of-war for a share of the fish that the original “fishercrab” was holding on to with defiance.
Being inside the panga and witnessing this close-up struggle for survival amongst sally lightfoot crabs at Tagus Cove was truly incredible. This whole event came to life in a matter of minutes, which gave us ample opportunity to capture numerous images of this small altercation that started in front of us. Funny to us, scary to them!
