The unlikely saviors of our beleaguered coral reefs may come in the form of Caribbean king crabs — those crustaceous critters with giant pincers and spidery legs. These heroes don’t sport capes, but they’re gearing up to tackle one of the world’s most pressing environmental dilemmas: the catastrophic decline of coral reefs.
Recent decades have seen coral reefs under siege, with warming oceans, diseases, and other threats decimating half of the world’s coral population, including a staggering 90 percent loss in Florida, according to Vox. This summer, a scorching heatwave further pushed the Florida Keys reef — the continental U.S.’ largest — toward the brink of disaster.
Why the crab connection, you ask? Because of their dietary habits. They devour copious amounts of seaweed, commonly referred to as macroalgae. This excess algae has been suffocating reefs worldwide, with a particular impact on Florida, hindering their ability to thrive.
But fear not, for a “crab army” is in the making! Scientists are rallying hundreds of thousands of these pinch-happy crustaceans to unleash upon Florida’s reefs, offering a fighting chance for this ailing ecosystem.