How much does a coconut crab cost, and what is the best way to eat it?

Coconut crab mainly lives in tropical forests near the coast, and only returns to the sea during the breeding season. It is a type of hermit crab and can grow to 1 m long. It is not only the largest terrestrial crab, but also the largest terrestrial arthropod. So how much does a coconut crab cost? What is the best way to eat it?

1. How much does a coconut crab cost

Although coconut crabs are also called crabs, they cannot swim. Only when spawning and reproducing do female coconut crabs go to the seawater edge to release fertilized eggs, and after the fertilized eggs go through multiple metamorphoses in seawater, they climb back onto land. Coconut crabs are very large in size, with a maximum weight of up to 4 kg, and the largest even reaching more than eight kg. There is a reason they are called coconut crabs: they are famous for climbing trees and eating coconuts, but at times they also hunt seabirds and even eat the leaves of some plants.

Coconut crabs are famous worldwide for their tender, fresh meat. However, due to frantic hunting by humans and the destruction of their natural habitat, coconut crabs are increasingly hard to find in their habitats and have become an endangered animal facing extinction. A few years ago, when coconut crab populations were still large, one cost about 200-400 yuan, but now it already costs 800-1000 yuan. Moreover, because coconut crabs currently cannot be artificially farmed, the supply of coconut crabs has become increasingly scarce, and if you want to eat coconut crab, you still have to go to a specialized restaurant.

2. How to eat coconut crab

The way to eat coconut crab is similar to that of other crabs: peel off the shell and eat the crab meat. Coconut crab meat is very delicious, but it is also different from ordinary Chinese mitten crab. The meat at the tail of the coconut crab generally carries a slight coconut fragrance, which may be related to its long-term consumption of coconuts. Its eight legs taste similar to lobster tail, but the meat in the legs is relatively dry and fibrous, not particularly tasty, while the fatty abdomen is relatively much better. The area on the tail is not recommended for consumption.

Although coconut crab is very delicious, there are also some taboos, such as not eating it overnight, not eating dead crabs, not eating too much at one time, and not pairing it with foods such as pears, peanut kernels, or cold drinks. These taboos can easily cause some problems in the human body, and in severe cases may lead to food poisoning. Although the crab meat is delicious, getting sick and hospitalized because of it is still not worth the loss. At the same time, for the sake of health, it is best to eat it in a regular hotel.

That is all about coconut crab. Friends who love crab meat can try this flavor of coconut crab. The governments of many countries have formulated relevant measures to strictly protect it. Perhaps after some time, if we want to eat coconut crab, we will have to wait until artificial farming succeeds.