A Sally Lightfoot crab,
one of thousands of shore crabs
just waiting for their moment.
Every day, they gather on the tropical shores of Brazil,
waiting for the tide to go out…
..which exposes their feeding grounds –
seaweed-covered rocks, 100 metres from the shore.
Getting there is a race against the tide.
They leap from rock to rock.
These crabs seem to be afraid of the water.
And for good reason.
A moray eel.
The chain moray is a specialist crab-hunter.
Its blunt teeth can easily grip and crush a crab shell.
It’s the crabs’ deadliest enemy.
But the crabs’ feeding grounds are still a long way off.
They must press on.
Halfway.
But their enemy has other ideas.
Crossing the land
to reset the ambush.
To feed, the crabs must keep going.
But nowhere is safe.
An octopus. Also a crab killer.
The crabs make a dash for it.
Made it!
Risking life and limb
to graze on these seaweed pastures.
But in two hours’ time, when the tide starts to turn,
they will have to run the gauntlet all over again.
