You can new go on a virtual journey to the Island of the crabs

You can new go on a virtual journey to the Island of the crabs
By Alexandra Coulton


Want to go on a quick visit to Christmas Island to see the annual red crab migration?

Well, you can now do it from the comfort of your computer screen!

Thanks to a recent collab between Parks Australia and Google, you can go on a virtual journey showcasing the wildlife of Christmas Island on Google Street View and Google Earth.

We warned though: if you’re anything like us, viewing it online will only make you want to pack your bags and head over there for real.

It’s a slippery slope, guys.

“Christmas Island National Park staff and Google have captured striking 360 degree footage of the island and its keystone species – the red crab, and the results are nothing short of stunning,” Assistant Minister for the Environment, Melissa Price, said

“Through this virtual reality tour, viewers are immersed in the forests and beaches of Christmas Island while encountering a truly amazing abundance of wildlife along the way.”

Christmas Island is considered the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean, and is also referred to as the Kingdom of the Crabs.

The island teems with an eye-watering abundance of wildlife with many of the species found on Christmas Island found nowhere else on the planet.

Two-thirds of the island is national park managed by Parks Australia.

The island is an internationally recognised seabird breeding site, especially for the unique Christmas Island Frigatebird and Abbott’s Booby, who nest only here and nowhere else.

It is home to some of the rarest mammals, including the Christmas Island Flying Fox, and most endangered reptiles in the world.

The Blue-tailed skink and Lister’s gecko are extinct in the wild, but thanks to a captive breeding program run by Christmas Island National Park, there is a glimmer of hope for them.

Land crabs reign supreme – approximately 45 million of them, including more than 20 different species.

Its most iconic member is undoubtedly the Christmas Island red crab; world-renowned for its annual breeding migration. It is also home to the world’s largest land crab – the robber (or coconut) crab.

The spectacular footage of Christmas Island was filmed using Google Trekker technology which captures breathtaking locations around the world.

Check it out here.

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