Chinese hairy crabs 'invade' Britain

Chinese hairy crabs - an invasive species with numbers increasing so much that authorities are advising people in the UK to report sightings.

Chinese hairy crabs can grow as large as dinner plates and have distinctive hairs on their legs. Photo: Mikelane45/Getty

The Chinese hairy crab ( Eriocheir sinensis ), also known as the eggplant or Shanghai hairy crab, is a crustacean native to East Asia, New Scientist reported on October 13. They are characterized by their hairy, glove-like claws. Their bodies are blue-grey or dark brown, and they typically grow to about 8 cm long, but their legs can stretch twice that far.

Over the past century, Chinese hairy crabs have spread to many areas of the world , including Europe and North America, where they are considered an invasive species. They typically live in freshwater habitats such as rivers, canals, and estuaries.

Chinese hairy crabs can wreak havoc on the environment by burrowing into riverbeds, blocking waterways and damaging fishing gear with their sharp pincers. Experts also fear they may eat fish eggs and take resources from native species.

The creature was first discovered in Britain in 1935 in the River Thames. Since then, it has been found all over the UK. Recently, people have even seen a number of hairy crabs crawling around the waters of Cambridgeshire.

The Natural History Museum is running a “Hairy Crab Watch” programme, asking people to report sightings. The Department for Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs is also encouraging people to report hairy crab sightings. This can help experts monitor populations and prevent the movement of eggs.

"Their numbers are increasing because they have a very unusual lifestyle. After migrating downstream, adult females can lay three clutches of eggs," explains Paul Clark, an expert at the Natural History Museum. Each clutch can contain 500,000 to 1,000,000 eggs, Clark says.

In a bid to tackle the growing hairy crab population in the UK, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, Welland and Deepings Drainage Authority and the Natural History Museum teamed up to install the first permanent hairy crab trap in Pode Hole, Lincolnshire, in August.

Thu Thao (According to New Scientist )

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