What causes the Christmas Island Red? This the Reason

Wednesday, March 28, 2012


In general, the same as living with trees covered with a blanket of dark atmosphere, with the background color is dark brown forest and wild animals camouflaged. But not with Christmas Island.

Small volcanic island in the Indian Ocean, 1600 kilometers north-west of the capital of Western Australia, Perth, this forest is covered with red paint, of millions of crabs that inhabit this island. Crabs are becoming increasingly visible, especially during the mating season, which begins in late November. When the breeding season, they make a mass migration of the tropical rainforest of the sea is estimated, there are 120 million crabs living on the island of 135 square kilometers.

These crabs dominate most areas of Christmas Island, beach, road, and the area of ​​national parks, the two-thirds of the island. Crabs on the island is composed of 20 species.
Christmas Island is located near the island of Java, especially in the Southwest. The climate is classified as a tropical living with a population of 1402 inhabitants located in a residential area on the northern tip of the island, the Flying Fish Cove, Silver City, Poon Saan, and Drum Site.

These islands are geographically isolated and far away from human reach 19th Century. It is not surprising, are the various flora and fauna endemic to the island is relatively undisturbed. This is important for the scientists.

And dominates the crab population, the island is also home to satellite from Australia and Russia, followed by the Asia-Pacific (PHAC) led to start. PHAC to Christmas Island as a place to have a satellite is due to its proximity to the equator and the climate is predicted to start. Could also minimize the position of the remote island of Christmas, the risk of a rocket orbiting satellite is falling on people.