Motorists are being asked to stop crushing and killing crabs on the nation’s roads.
Assistant Forest Officer Stephen Durand says several dead crabs have been spotted road side, mainly on the west coast.
He says while it may be difficult to avoid the animals while driving, every effort should be made to protect them.
He says officials are also aware that the crabs are being caught for sale and otherwise adding that it not only an offense, but the crabs must be given time to multiply.
“We want to reach out to persons traveling along the west coast because that’s where you have the black crab population. That is the period when the crabs move from their habitat to the sea to wash their eggs and we need them to do that,” he said.
He said if the crabs are not protected, they could slowly become extinct.
“We know of people who collect the crabs to sell and to eat. We want people to allow them some time. It’s for our own benefit in the long run,” he added.
Some people feed themselves and kids on crabs. Others sell crabs to earn some much needed cash. We are committed to protecting our wildlife. It therefore seems reasonable, that someone whose job it is to protect the islands animals, crustaceans, organisms and to an extent it’s people would ask us to “avoid the crabs on the road if we can”. And it also seems reasonable for us to do so if we can. The reasons for doing so are evident.
i have not heard of a more dumb statement. how the hell am i supposed to drive on the road and wait for crabs to cross the road before i continue? way papa all u not well enh. well i guess we have to look for ants too zore. i dont mean to be silly but thats really silly mr durand i hope you take your time and let every crab pass. waaaaaaaaaaaaaay papa. eben bon. think before you talk my friend because you all dont want people to eat them year round like our fore fathers did and now you asking us motorist to be careful magwa sar man. ou sort enh. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmn
I have to laugh. I do not want to seem ignorant but seriously this is a difficult thing. When u are driving tell me what time u have to look for crab on road? Who tell the crab to come on road is fresh the they fresh. They have their own home but they want to b on road
please ignore the before they fresh. this was a typo.
You have your own home and you want to be on road too!
He he he
bunch of blood sucking murderous leeches that are in the government and a vampire at the head
I have expanded on it some more, so see if you can figure what are ” Decapod Crustaceans.” I have proved why crabs are not actual animals, but indeed a scavenger as some animals. It not for the sake of an argument, but now since I am the one who do not know, I suggest you give me every scientific knowledge you my critics have to prove your theory that a crab is an animal.
Prove me wrong, nor by simply talking trash, prove me wrong with your knowledge of biology, and modem day science.
That’s all I ask, insults will not help, truth, and fact matters, not trash! Read it completely, and then refute if you can!
” He says while it may be difficult to avoid the animals while driving, every effort should be made to protect them.”
Did he really call a crab ” an animal?”
Here is a classification of Animals:
Two subkingdoms are generally recognized within the kingdom Animalia: (1) Parazoa-animals that for the most part lack a definite symmetry, and possess neither tissues nor organs, and (2) Eumetazoa – animals that have a definite shape and symmetry and, in most cases tissues, which are organized into organs and organ systems.
The subkingdom Parazoa consists primarily of the sponges, phylum Porifera.
The other animals, composing about 35 phyla, belong to the subkingdom Eumetazoa. The structure of eumetazoans is much more complex than that of sponges: i.e., all eumetazoans form three distinct embryonic layers: an outer ectoderm, an inner endoderm, and an intermediate mesoderm.
These layers differentiate into the tissues of the adult animal. In general, the nervous system and outer covering layers developed from the ectoderm, the muscles and skeletal elements from the mesoderm, and the intestine, and digestive organs form the endoderm.
No such layers are present in sponges.
Thus the animal kingdom is traditionally divided into two subkingdom. In the simpler subkingdom, Prazoa, the animal lack symmetry and possess neither tissues nor organs. In the most advanced subkingdom, Eumetazoa the animals are symmetrical, and nearly all possess tissue.
Here Is An Outline Of Animal Classification: Kingdom Animalia
l. Subkingdom Parazoa: phylum Porifera
ll. Subkingdom Eumetazoa
A. Radially symmetrical animals: phyla Cnidaria and Ctenophora; probably unrelated to one another
B. Bilaterally symmetrical animals
(1) Acoelomates ( animals that lack a body cavity): phyla Mesozoa, Platyhelminthes, Rhyncocoela
(2) Pseudocoelomates ( animals with a pseudocoel): phyla Nematoda, Rotifera, Loricifera
(3) Coelomates ( animals with a coelom)
(a) Protostomes (coelomates in which the mouth develops from or near the blastopore during the course of
embryonic development): phyla Mollusca, Annelida, Pogonophora, Onychophora, and Arthropoda
(b) Deuterostomes (coelomates in which the anus forms from or near the blastopore): phyla Echinodermata, Chaetognatha, Hemichordata, and Chordata
Crabs are not animals as this official claim, as in the quote above.
Crabs are Decapod crustaceans:
Subphylum Crustacea.
The crustaceans ( subphylum Crustacea) are a large group of primarily aquatic organisms, consisting of some 35,000 species of crabs, shrimps, lobsters , crayfish, barnacles, water fleas, pillbugs, and related groups.
That’s enough to prove that a crab is not an animal as stated by the Forestry official, he error on that!
If he claims that a crab is an animal, then a shrimp, a crayfish, must be an animal also!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Crustaceans (Crustacea) form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar ANIMALS as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles.
Most crustaceans are free-living aquatic ANIMALS…
So Mr Francisco your point exactly?
Sir you said did he mean an animal? i think he meant avoid a Francisco Etienne-Dodds Telemaque on the road before he gets crushed and killed
that officer should leave his job and come help the crabs to cross the street. wen pple have to much time on their hand n lookin for public attention they will find anything to say..
is that why you commented? cause you’re looking for public attention?
allu donot worry about people killing people allu worry about crabs being crushed?so if there is no people who is gonna be the future generations to eat de crabs,people getting extinct donot bother anyone
Such an ignorant statement. Biodiversity of plants and animals have an impact on the foods that we humans consume. There is something called a ” food chain” and if as you suggest we neglect those organisms at the beginning of the chain then the ensuing backlash can affect this higher organisms ( yes you and I, eventually). Symbiosis is the harmonious interaction of biological organisms, so we should all try to respect that. Life is much more than me, you, but also the US.
ur generation dat maybe goin extinct…we cant control all situations . the best we can do is try …
They go to Guadeloupe by bags….checkout dem french man dat coming down D/a to do so called business..those who come with their own boats…stupid dominicans behind all of it .
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Thanks for the unnecessary information. Make it seem like you have an axe to grind.
The world is made up of two category of living things; plants and animals.
Why don’t you add to the topic of discussion which is a straight forward and necessary since crabs are consumed on a large scale in DA. Sometimes I love your extended version common sentiments but this time you have me wondering if you are searching.
Does the east coast road construction schudule take into consideration the movement of the crabs? Does anyone know if that section has already been touched?
I would think that an environmental impact analysis was performed prior to the undertaking of such a project. This, I am sure is a criteria for project commencement.
Is there any way we could Engineer a solution, like building some sort of “underpass” on the roadways so the grabs can go under the road, while we go “over” a speed bump? I am sure some conservation groups may be interested in helping us solve this problem. As our vehicular traffic increase, especially after the completion of the West Coast Road, we are going to have even more problems. So as they resurface the roads they should factor that into their design. Good opportunity for Forestry and Ministry of Works to come together and work on a problem!
I don’t think so. The crabs wouldn’t know that they are supposed to go UNDER the road, rather than OVER it. They’ll follow the same path they have always followed.
so should u sway away from the crab and mashup ur vehicle?
I was thinking the same thing…..I guess we all should be driving at 10 all the time
” He says while it may be difficult to avoid the animals while driving, every effort should be made to protect them.”
Did he really call a crab ” an animal?”
Here is a classification of Animals:
Two subkingdoms are generally recognized within the kingdom Animalia: (1) Parazoa-animals that for the most part lack a definite symmetry, and possess neither tissues nor organs, and (2) Eumetazoa – animals that have a definite shape and symmetry and, in most cases tissues, which are organized into organs and organ systems.
The subkingdom Parazoa consists primarily of the sponges, phylum Porifera.
The other animals, composing about 35 phyla, belong to the subkingdom Eumetazoa. The structure of eumetazoans is much more complex than that of sponges: i.e., all eumetazoans form three distinct embryonic layers: an outer ectoderm, an inner endoderm, and an intermediate mesoderm.
These layers differentiate into the tissues of the adult animal. In general, the nervous system and outer covering layers developed from the ectoderm, the muscles and skeletal elements from the mesoderm, and the intestine, and digestive organs form the endoderm.
No such layers are present in sponges.
Thus the animal kingdom is traditionally divided into two subkingdom. In the simpler subkingdom, Prazoa, the animal lack symmetry and possess neither tissues nor organs. In the most advanced subkingdom, Eumetazoa the animals are symmetrical, and nearly all possess tissue.
Crabs are not animals as this official claim, as in the quote above.
Crabs are Decapod crustaceans:
Subphylum Crustacea.
The crustaceans ( subphylum Crustacea) are a large group of primarily aquatic organisms, consisting of some 35,000 species of crabs, shrimps, lobsters , crayfish, barnacles, water fleas, pillbugs, and related groups.
That’s enough to prove that a crab is not an animal as stated by the Forestry official, he error on that!
If he claims that a crab is an animal, then a shrimp, a crayfish, must be an animal also!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
you think you are so smart
stupid, everything alive falls into one of four categories: 1.Human 2.Animal 3.Plant 4.Microscopic Organism. You learn that in primary school… seems you slept thorugh that part of it. You bringing all kind of scientific stuff you don’t understand. A crustacean is an animal. Your brain is too big for your head!
well said SMH
Would you have preferred he said Creature! What difference does it make.
If (may God forbid) for some reason we have to depend on our own resources for protein, we will wish we had saved every single crab egg. The sea is being poisoned, forbidding amounts of toxins are being found in the larger sea life, you dont know if the time is around the corner when we will be afraid of eating fish, With world situation the way it is who knows what may happen? We had better try to conserve everything we have not only for our next generation but also as a disaster resource.
I will not just crush crabs aimlessly on the road if it can be avoided but them crab better watch out for themselves because i am not going to cause no accident by jamming hard on my brakes for the sake of a crab. Them crabs well good where they be there.
ignorance is bliss isn’t it? its not jamming ur brakes hard but don’t be driving so fast that u have to. if you’re driving slow and u see the crab it would be an easy swerve,not one to cause an accident.
Such a mature response. Like you stated, no one is asking you to cause any accidents but to be prudent and aware of the possibility of encountering such a fragile creature. No one ever asked you to choose. Peace
Sustainability people. The same goes for the crapaud, manicou, agouti and another of the Island’s scarce resources the trees. Just take a look at the Roseau river. Indiscriminate harvesting of trees for firewood or construction has an impact on the water table, rate of erosion, land slides and yes the volume of water in the rivers. Growth yes! But in a sustainable manner
sound like a conserving brethren!! good vibez
Thank you my brother. Eventually I will return to contribute to DA’s sustainability. Believe that….
THEY CAN’T EVEN AVOID WETING AND KILLING PEOPLE ON DE STREET MUCH LESS FOR A CRAB