Watch the World’s Boldest Crab Fend Off Curious Lions

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Not many creatures on Earth can pull off keeping a pride of curious lions at bay. But lions don’t want to get their soft noses pinched by a crab’s forceful claws any more than we would. The video above, filmed at the MalaMala Private Game Reserve in South Africa, shows how a tiny freshwater crab managed to survive a lion encounter

In the video, filmed by park rangers, the four-inch-long freshwater crab emerges from its burrow near a resting pride of lions. One lion notices the crab. The crab immediately gets in a defensive stance with its pinchers raised. The lion doesn’t pursue but lies down in the sand, and the crab appears to be in the clear. That is, until the others notice. At one point in the video, the little crab has the eyes of all five lions in the pride keeping a close watch of it. The curious lions grow closer and closer with their noses and large paws dangerously near. But, the little crab keeps its claws up and slowly retreats, finding safety in the sand.

What Type of Crab Is Seen in the Video?

The crab seen fending off the lions is a freshwater crab of the genus Potamonautes. There have been 26 species discovered in South Africa as of 2023, with new species discovered in recent years. These versatile crabs live in freshwater rivers and streams throughout South Africa, where they are an important part of the ecosystem.

The crabs are food for reptiles, mammals, birds, and fish. They also break down the organic matter around the rivers and streams, aerate the soil, and feed on microorganisms, keeping them at healthy numbers.

Freshwater crabs dig tunnels in the earth and hide under rocks and logs, usually only coming out after dark. They are nocturnal, typically only emerging from their burrows at night, which is perhaps why the lion pride was so curious to see the crab. It’s not a typical sighting during the day.

How Crabs Defend Themselves

According to the rangers that filmed the video, the pride of lions was settling down to sleep at the Mlowathi Riverbed where they were sheltering from high winds. The little crab showed up, perking their curiosity. But the crab saved itself by rearing up on its back legs and bringing its claws up in defense.

Crabs have 10 legs with two front legs that have evolved into pincers. The crab uses its pincers to eat and defend itself. A crab’s main defense is typically hiding. When that fails, it will raise up its claws to scare away predators. As you can see from the reaction of the lion pride, it’s an effective defense.