Christmas Island
Christmas Island
Christmas Island is in the Indian Ocean and there are whale sharks and manta rays a plenty out in the sea. In the limestone cliffs of Christmas Islands the cliffs create blowholes that shoot out spray from the waves that pound the cliffs below. Inland there are extensive rainforests to explore with exotic creatures and and after a walk you will be cooled by luscious water falls that cascade down from the hills. It is refreshing after a long walk through the rain forest. The water falls are very refreshing and cool. MOst of the island is national Park.
Christmas Island crabs are land crabs that are bright red and they migrate after the monsoonal rains of November. They walk towards the sea to spawn. You have to be careful where you walk because you will step on them and there are millions of them. They are important for the environment as they turn the soil and eat leaf litter and rubbish on the floor of the rain forest. The crab males go down to the sea and they are followed by the females and then they spawn by the ocean. After spawning they march miles back into the forest.
Another crab on Christmas Island is the coconut crab which is the largest land crab in the world. They are also called robber crabs and are found on tropical islands all over the pacific. They grow up to seventy years of age and they are the islands only omnivores. They are majestic large robber crabs and Christmas Island has the largest population of robber crabs in the world. They are protected now but the miners of old used to hunt them and eat them. the nippers are quite powerful and can break a finger - they will do a lot of damage with their massive jaws.
Christmas Island has giant coconut crabs and has birds as well. And also the huge whale shark in the water of the Indian Ocean off Christmas island. The Christmas island frigate bird is found in the area and have spectacular mid air acrobatics and brightly coloured plumage. Christmas island is a breeding ground for many species of birds such as the booby. It is a bird watchers paradise. The locals of Christmas island help to feed some of the orphaned birds to rehabilitate and they let them go when they are better. The waters off Christmas island are renowned for their rich marine life. You can go diving off Christmas island and it is near the java trench so the seas off Christmas island are very deep.
The temperature of the water is very warm with pristine coral and perfect visibility. The plate corals are pristine and there are other types as well. The reef fish are in abundance and the trumpet fish, puffer fish, lion fish are found under rocky crevices. They are like a painter has painted them. MOray eels are found in the rocky crevices, it is absolutely magic. YOu can find huge manta rays and come in during the whale shark season. They can swim with divers if they are in the mood.
The king of the ocean is the giant whale shark. They love to play among the bubbles and it is a gentle giant. It is magical to be in the water with them and they stay for months. the thrill of swimming with whale sharks is overwhelming and they can swim around and around. They are huge will not harm you and are not frightened but are so curious. Some people say that Christmas island could be a breeding area and the whale sharks head off to ningaloo reef in north west Australia. It is absolutely stunning to swim with the gentle giants of the ocean. The biggest and friendliest of all the sharks are the whale sharks.