An expedition searching for Amelia Earhart’s lost plane on the remote Pacific island of Nikumaroro is facing an unusual obstacle: giant, meat-eating coconut crabs. The 17-person team, led by Purdue University, has decided to sleep aboard their vessel, the Marin Mainiku, rather than on the island due to the formidable size and nocturnal activity of these crustaceans, which are the largest terrestrial arthropods and possess pincers capable of exerting over 1,765 newtons of force – significantly stronger than a human bite. While clearing a trail to the island’s lagoon, researchers encountered at least four of these massive crabs, described as omnivorous scavengers that can live for over 40 years and climb trees. Despite the imposing nature of the coconut crabs, the university states they have posed no threat to the operation, which is currently investigating a mysterious anomaly detected in satellite imagery that could potentially be Earhart’s Lockheed Electra. The search is based on the Nikumaroro Hypothesis, which posits that Earhart’s aircraft crashed near this island.
Adapted from: Travel News Today on Fox News
