Footage captures moment massive coconut crab snaps golf club in half with just its claw

Footage of a massive Coconut crab snapping a golf club in half with its claw on Christmas Island has gone viral after the footage was shared on Reddit.

In the clip, a group of friends, who have just finished the sixth hole on a course on Christmas Island, an Australian territory located in the Indian Ocean recorded footage of the enormous creature which had scaled up one of the men’s golfing bags and latched itself onto a club.

The footage, which was recorded back in October 2020, by local Paul Buhner who can be heard saying “And that’s why we call them a robber crab … And we have not put this here, this has climbed up here while we’ve been putting out.”

Commenting on just how tightly the crab was holding on to the club, Buhner adds: “He’s got a bloody good grip on it – look at that.”

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As the footage continues you can hear the crab’s claw snap the shaft of the club, with Buhner chuckling in amazement saying: “he’s broken it...he’s just chewed through that like a chainsaw.”

In an attempt to remove the crab from the clubs a man named Al crabs hold of the animal causing Buhner to quip “Al might lose a finger here, and that would be hilarious.”

Buhner and the others then admit defeat to the crab: “You know what, just let him have it, mate. He’s won the victory – he’s beaten us.”

According to news.com.au, the footage went viral after Buhner’s son sent the footage to one of his friends.

Coconut crabs, which are also referred to as ‘robber crabs’ or ‘palm thieves,’ have a reputation for ‘stealing’ items and can also climb trees thanks to their considerable strength. They are also the world’s largest terrestrial arthropod and but are deemed to be a vulnerable species due to hunting and habitat loss.