More strange animals! The Giant cocoanut Crab and others.

The article about the Kudamundi, Okapi and Platypus has been read thousands of times so, here is one more about strange animals.

The Cocoa nut Crab- This looks like something nasty that crawled out of a crater in the moon! Also known as the palm thief, and the robber crab, the Cocoa nut Crab lives mainly on islands in the various oceans. They are found also on Australia and Madagascar, in populated areas.

They are the largest land- living arthropods and are related to the hermit crab. Unlike their cousin, they only need to adopt an empty shell until they are adults. By then, their exoskeletal exterior is thick enough to protect them. This giant crab eats mostly fruit and carcases.

They get their name because they are mostly found wherever coconut palms turn up.

The Star-Nosed Mole-

Pucker up. This little freak is a tenacious creature, able to withstand severe cold and burrow easily through ice to make its home and find food. It lives in Canada and the East Coast of the United States. I have seen these in the winter in the Syracuse, N.Y. area, and one even sniffed my boot as I stopped to see what it was. They are so weird looking!

The rodent is about the size of an adult's hand. The ones that live near the ocean eat mollusks, clams, and small crabs, while the inland moles eat a lot of worms, bugs, and even small mice on occasion.

As one would assume, they use there nose to smell and to detect vibration and movements. They won't hurt you even though they look like a monster!

The Giant Salamander-

In the U.S. we have a large salamander know as the hellbender. There are many American Indian stories about this huge amphibian. But, the Giant Salamder from China is even bigger. I have seen many salamanders but not one 6 feet long! They get enormous and can be fiesty.