Natural History Museum
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1,330 kilometres southwest of Singapore lies Christmas Island, an isolated tropical island in the Indian Ocean. Its isolation from neighbouring landmasses has allowed it to become home to 200 endemic species, found nowhere else on Earth. Singapore’s connection with Christmas Island dates back over a century, with research on its distinctive fauna beginning as early as 1904.
Despite its rugged landscape, its rich and unique biodiversity has attracted naturalists and researchers from all around the world. Within the tropical rainforests of Christmas Island, lives the most diverse land crab community on Earth. The island is renowned for a spectacular phenomenon that can be considered one of the greatest natural wonders of the world—the migration of millions of Christmas Island red crabs, which occurs annually at the onset of the wet season.
Over the years from 2010 to 2017, expeditions by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum have yielded interesting findings and have led to the exciting discovery of new species. In 2017, the Museum’s researchers, joined by researchers from Taiwan, Japan, and Australia, embarked on the fourth expedition to Christmas Island in search of more undiscovered creatures.
This expedition took them across a wide range of habitats, including subtidal and intertidal zones, rock pools, coral reefs, cliff faces, caves, and forests. After braving challenging treks, cave explorations and intertidal surveys, the researchers’ efforts paid off as they were rewarded with discoveries that deepen our understanding of the island’s extraordinary wildlife.
Some memorable discoveries by the Museum’s researchers on Christmas Island include the blue crab (Tuerkayana celeste) and cave crabs (Christmaplax mirabilis and Orcovita spp.). The blue crab, previously misidentified, is now recognised as a distinct new species, offering invaluable insights into the creature that conservation efforts aim to protect.
True to its name, Christmas Island continues to offer its many gifts to the world, holding countless more species waiting to be discovered in its treasure trove of biodiversity.
Check out this video done by the Museum’s Outreach and Education Unit (OEU) as they take you along a delightful virtual journey to Christmas Island: https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/virtual-journey-christmas-island/
Research publications:
Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Supplement No. 30
Related articles:
Christmas Island RED Exhibition
Christmas Island RED Exhibition Launch