Though this creepy doll head looks like
it's possessed by a poltergeist,
It's not.
The reality is much more sad.
Because this discarded doll head is inhabited
by a hermit crab.
It's no secret that plastics are harming the world's oceans
and marine life.
One of the many creatures affected by trash pollution
is the hermit crab.
These creatures spend much of their lives
finding and replacing their shells as they grow.
Unfortunately, a lack of shells and an abundance of garbagE
on beaches and in oceans has led hermit crabs
to resort to our discarded plastics as their new homes.
Surprisingly, hermit crabs are not crabs.
though they are crustaceans,
they're most closely related to lobsters.
There are over 800 species of hermit crab.
Three of the most common are the Caribbean,
the Ecuadorian and the strawberry hermit crab.
Hermit crabs are either land dwellers
or sea dwellers,
and they come in an array of shapes and colors.
But they are all omnivorous,
and their exoskeletons
do not cover their entire bodies.
While a hard outer shell
protects the head and thorax,
the abdomen is uncovered.
So the resourceful hermit crab decided long ago
to move into the discarded shells
of other sea creatures.
by nestling into, say, a discarded sea snail shell,
a hermit crab finds a cozy new home,
and it protects its vulnerable abdomen
from predators like cuttlefish, sea stars and gulls.
Just like people,
hermit crabs value their houses,
leaving them only when it's time to mate
or to find a new home.
That's pretty accurate.
A young hermit crabs abdomen molds
into the shape of the first shell it inhabits.
As it continues to grow,
the crustacean molds its front exoskeleton
and looks for a new dwelling.
This usually happens when its current shell feels too tight.
Kind of how I feel in my jeans after eating a big plate
of crab cake, I mean spaghetti.
But they don't move into any old shell.
They are picky, discerning house hunters
that carefully inspect each prospective home.
First, a hermit crab will examine the shell
for any cracks or openings.
Next, it'll roll the shell around to make sure it's
light enough to carry and ensure that it's uninhabited.
Hermit crabs don't want roommates.
Finally and most importantly,
the hermit crab checks the size of the shells entrance.
If it's too narrow,
the crab may become stuck
or unable to make a quick escape if needed.
There are also social creatures,
hanging out in crews of up to 100.
Because finding that perfect home is the goal
of every hermit crab.
They will even help each other find better homes, aww.
Sometimes they'll form a line
behind the newly abandoned shell,
with the biggest hermits getting first dibs.
The only species of hermit crab
that doesn't need an external shell
is the gargantuan coconut crab.
Measuring in at over 91 cm (3ft)
when fully grown,
they outgrow their shells when they're young
and eventually develop a hard exoskeleton
covering their abdomens.
Most hermit crabs have many predators.
But like most creatures,
their biggest threat is humans.
We put over seven million
tons of plastic waste into our oceans every year.
Scientists at the University of Tasmania discovered that
over 569,000 hermit crabs
died on plastic-riddled beaches
in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Hermit crabs often get trapped
in discarded plastics,
and the chemicals in plastics
leech into water and food sources.
These chemicals accumulate in the hermit crabs bodies,
which can cause health problems
and even kill them.
Recent research shows that oleamide,
a chemical that leaks from plastics,
resembles a hermit crab mating pheromone.
The chemical's scent lures hermits,
sometimes to their deaths.
And climate change has made oceans more acidic
because of the increase of carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere,
More acidic waters leach calcium from snail shells,
making them brittle.
This means there are fewer suitable shells
for hermits to live in,
Leaving them exposed to predators.
It also doesn't help that these crustaceans
are popular in the pet trade.
Most specialists believe that having a hermit crab
as a pet is doing more harm than good.
Hermit crabs need a warm and humid environment,
and they prefer a diverse habitat
with plenty of hiding spots
and empty shells,
which can be hard to provide.
Molting requires deep sand
or mud to burrow in.
And because there's such social creatures,
having a solitary hermit crab
will shorten its lifespan.
So as cute as that hermit crab at the pet store may be,
don't keep one as a pet.
These unique critters deserve better than that.
Being picky house hunters and extremely social
is what hermit crabs do.
And that's what makes them Crazy Creatures.