Hermit Crabs Globally Turning to Plastic Waste as Shells

Scientists find artificial shells in two-thirds of hermit crab species, raising concerns about potential harm and evolutionary implications.

Hermit crabs across the globe are increasingly using plastic waste as shells, with two-thirds of species observed in artificial shells.
Researchers analyzed nearly 29,000 images of hermit crabs online and found 386 instances of crabs using artificial shells, primarily plastic caps.
Ten out of the 16 species of land hermit crabs are using artificial shells, observed in all tropical regions of the Earth.
Reasons for this behavior could include better camouflage in polluted environments, lighter weight of plastic, and a decline in natural snail shells.
Scientists are concerned about the potential harmful effects of this behavior on the crabs and its implications for their evolution.