A crowd of crabs crossing the street caught the attention of several Cubans who recorded the scene with their phones and shared it on social media. The 35-second clip posted on TikTok on July 14 by the account "La Tierra más hermosa" quickly went viral, and many users in the comments noted that the scene took place in Playa Girón, in the province of Matanzas.
In the video, you can hear the spontaneous reactions of those watching the crustaceans pass by: "Look, look, they are crabs. Hey, I like that one. Look at this, look. Are you going to catch one? Yes, go ahead and catch it. How are you going to catch that?"
The crabs appearing in the recording belong to the species Gecarcinus ruricola, commonly known as the "zombie crab," whose annual migration is one of the most striking natural phenomena in southern Cuba.
Each season, triggered by the first rains, millions of females leave the forests of the Ciénaga de Zapata and cross roads and towns to reach the sea and spawn in the Bay of Pigs.
The stretch of about 30 kilometers between Playa Larga and Playa Girón is the most affected, with the road literally covered in crustaceans for weeks.
The season typically starts in late February or early March, peaking in April and May, although it can extend into July, which aligns with the video date.
The impact on wildlife is significant: it is estimated that around 3.5 million crabs are crushed by vehicles each season on that stretch of road.
Authorities in Matanzas have repeatedly warned drivers about the dangers of traveling on that road during migration season, as the crab claws can puncture tires.
Experts also warn that the red crab is not suitable for human consumption, although in the context of the severe food crisis facing the island, discussions about the possibility of eating them arise frequently whenever these images circulate on social media.
The phenomenon is not exclusive to Matanzas. In June 2025, hundreds of crabs invaded the streets and homes of the community of Caletón, also in the Zapata Swamp, surprising the residents.
Months later, in October 2025, a massive and unusual invasion shook Caibarién, in Villa Clara, with pregnant females entering yards and rooms.
In April of that same year, there were also outbreaks reported in Gibara, Holguín, and the phenomenon occurred again with less intensity in areas such as Guanahacabibes and Santiago de Cuba.
Residents of Caibarién have pointed out that the magnitude of the invasions over the past three years is unusual, and a local resident, Oscar Valdés, attributed the increase in crabs to the decline of agriculture in the area.
The Cuban roads during the red crab migration become each year a scene that blends the amazement of onlookers with the real risk for drivers and for the species itself, whose survival depends on completing that journey to the sea.
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