Customs authorities arrested three people on the tropical island of Amami Oshima after noticing live hermit crabs packed into six suitcases. The confiscated hermit crabs, weighing a total of 160 kilograms (353 pounds), belong to a protected species native to the Amami archipelago, a popular tourist destination located off southwestern Kyushu and just north of Okinawa.
The incident unfolded when a hotel worker in Amami alerted environmental authorities about suspicious suitcases being stored on the premises. Upon further investigation, officers discovered the suitcases were full of live hermit crabs, which are recognized as crustaceans with spiral shells. Liao Zhibin, 24, Song Zhenhao, 26 and Guo Jiawei, 27, were all arrested. They were charged with illegally possessing the crustaceans without a permit.
According to one of the police officers who worked the case, the original discovery raised red flags. They began to make out scratching sounds coming from an untethered suitcase that was being stored. Thanks to this disturbing noise along with tips from the public, the Mobile Wildlife Inspector investigated further, discovering the illegal shipment of hermit crabs.
The Amami archipelago has an astonishing richness of life. Protecting its unique native species is key to protecting ecological balance. Combined with the illegal capture and possession of these hermit crabs, their population is being put at risk. In doing so, this practice runs afoul of local wildlife conservation laws.
Environmental advocates emphasized that any remediation efforts must prioritize native, indigenous species. They further cautioned against the legal repercussions for those participating in illegal wildlife trade. Photographers in China—including Liao Zhibin, Song Zhenhao, and Guo Jiawei—are endangering hermit crabs. Their actions now put in danger the best, bright spot of regional conservation that remains.
