Christmas Island
Christmas Island is a remote island in the Indian Ocean. It was named on Christmas Day by Captain William Mynors but was not landed on until 1688 by William Dampier on his way from Sumatra. In October 1958 the island became a Territory of Australia . The most conspicuous animals are the land crabs that serve as the natural decomposers. There are no earthworms or mammals, other than fruit bats, that are found on the island.
| Christmas Island is noted for two things, its mining of phosphates and the large number of endemic species of flora and fauna. (Abbott’s Booby, C.I. Frigate bird and Golden Bosun) | |
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The Abbot’s Booby is endemic to the
island. It is the rarest sulid in the world.
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| The blow holes are found along the
rugged coast of the island. They are caused by the waves pounding the
limestone caves created by erosion forcing the water up through small
openings within the rock.
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The blue crabs possess a porcelain
blue carapace. Their bulk together with their large claws gives them
a formidable appearance.
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The Red Crabs have made Christmas Island famous. The estimated
island population of adult crabs is a staggering 120 million with
a total weight of more than 8,000 tons. They are everywhere in closets, in
toilets, along the roads, in the forest, on the
golf course and playing fields. When the young hatch from the sea
they migrate back to the forest. The migration produces a carpet
of red along the cliffs, roads, lawns and forest floor.
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Click HERE for more pictures from Christmas Island.
