More And More Hermit Crabs Are Wearing Trash as a Home Instead of Shells : ScienceAlert
ScienceAlert
Land hermit crabs have been using bottle tops, parts of old light bulbs and broken glass bottles, instead of shells.
New research by Polish researchers studied 386 images of hermit crabs occupying these artificial shells. The photos had been uploaded by users to online platforms, then analyzed by scientists using a research approach known as iEcology.
Of the 386 photos, the vast majority, 326 cases, featured hermit crabs using plastic items as shelters.
At first glance, this is a striking example of how human activities can alter the behavior of wild animals, and potentially the ways that populations and ecosystems function as a result.
