Unusual golden crab discovery stirs lottery luck hopes in Phayao province
Residents in Phayao province were “claw-struck” when they stumbled upon a rare golden yellow crab. The locals are “pinching” the hope that this quirky catch might be their lucky charm in the upcoming lottery draw.
Authorities from Phu Sang National Park have playfully dubbed the crustacean “Cliff Crab” and are delving into whether it falls under the category of protected species.
Reporters interviewed a household at Ban Nam Min, Mae Lao Subdistrict, Chiang Kham District, Phayao Province after images and clips about the unusual crab were shared, causing a stir among villagers.
The crab, with its striking orange-yellow hue, was something that many locals claimed they had never encountered before in their village. The first one to stumble upon this rarity was 62 year old Wat Khun Min who brought it back for the villagers to see.
Wat recounted his experience. He had left home for his rice field, and whilst cutting grass, he chanced upon a group of four to five paddy crabs. What caught his eye was an odd one out – a crab with an orange-yellow body.
Having never seen such a creature before, he decided to bring it home for his wife and neighbours to witness. On returning home, he placed the crab in a blue bucket with some vegetables. Wat decided to keep the crab, believing it might bring him luck in the lottery. He planned to try his luck in the next draw, reported Khaosod.
Waterfall crab
Fei Khun Min, Wat’s wife, added that she was surprised by the crab’s colour, something she had never seen before. She wasn’t scared, just intrigued.
News of the unusual find spread, and many neighbours came to see it, taking pictures and noting their house number. Almost everyone was surprised and claimed they had never seen such a crab before.
Assistant Director of Phu Sang National Park, Suttham Anantala, stated that the crab found by the villagers is commonly known as a rock or cliff crab, sometimes referred to as a waterfall crab.
They usually inhabit clean water sources such as streams and waterfalls. Whether the waterfall crab is a protected species needs consultation with the National Park Department. The crab could have ventured into the rice field in search of food.
