Last year, we shared a little about the colorful Halloween crabs that live throughout the coastal green areas surrounding Town and the remarkable migration that forms part of their reproductive cycle during the rainy season.
Although this year’s rainy season has arrived somewhat intermittently, with sunny stretches appearing between periods of rain, the crabs continue responding to the seasonal changes around them. After the rains begin, female Halloween crabs leave their terrestrial burrows and make their way toward the ocean, where they release their eggs into the water, often at night and in coordination with the tides. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae begin their development in the sea before the young crabs eventually return to land and continue the cycle.
For these small travelers, reaching the ocean can mean crossing considerable distances through the coastal landscape. Along the way, they may also need to cross the same streets and roads that we use every day, both within Las Catalinas and along the route connecting Town with Potrero.
In recent days, several crabs have unfortunately been found struck by vehicles along these roads. Their presence can sometimes be difficult to notice, particularly at night or after rainfall, when they may be moving across the pavement. Slowing down and remaining attentive can make an important difference, especially during this part of the year.
Halloween crabs are more than one of the rainy season’s most colorful wildlife sightings. By collecting fallen leaves and carrying organic matter into their burrows, they help move nutrients through the soil and influence the structure of the coastal forests they inhabit. Each crab is therefore part of a much larger ecological system unfolding quietly around us.
As we walk, cycle and drive through Town and the surrounding area, we invite everyone to keep an eye out for these seasonal travelers, reduce speed whenever possible and allow them the time they need to cross safely. Sharing this landscape also means noticing the smaller lives moving through it and helping them complete a journey that has taken place along these shores for generations.