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2024 Land Crab Monitoring Update
June 14, 2024
Protect
Ascension Island’s native crabs (Aster) migrate from the Green Mountains to the coastline to spawn from January to May each year.
This year, the Ascension Island Government Conservation and Fisheries Team conducted a 10-year population census, counting the number of female blackfin sharks using the Northeast Bay for spawning. A total of 10,565 female blackfin sharks were recorded, an increase from 8,124 during the 2013 census. Further analysis of these numbers will produce an overall figure (including uncounted nights), which is expected to show a significant increase in the number of female blackfin sharks.
Each female land crab is counted every 15 minutes for 3 hours on a predetermined transect (a section of beach). She is marked with a non-invasive blue line on her shell to indicate that she has been counted and will not be counted again during the survey. These transects are visited every other night during the 7-day spawning period. Land crabs are very particular about the timing of their spawning, and they begin spawning each month 10 days after the full moon.
This land crab is found on only four small islands around the world. Little is known about this endangered crab, so the data collected from the survey will ensure the future of this rare and interesting animal.
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