King Crabs — 15 Fun Facts

Hi! Here are 15 easy and fun facts about king crabs. Read them one by one and imagine a big crab walking on the ocean floor!

1. King crabs are very big — some are as big as a dinner plate or even larger.
2. They live in cold oceans, often far from the shore, where the water is chilly.
3. They have a hard shell called an exoskeleton that protects their body.
4. They have 10 legs in total. Two of those are big claws and the rest help them walk.
5. Their big claws are strong. They use them to grab food and to protect themselves.
6. King crabs eat many things like small fish, clams, and bits of plants — they are good at finding food on the sea floor.
7. They can walk sideways, which looks funny and crabby!
8. King crabs are a special kind of crab — they look a bit different from rock crabs you might see near the beach.
9. Baby king crabs are very tiny and float in the water before they grow big.
10. Some king crabs can live for many years, getting bigger each year.
11. To grow, they must molt — this means they shed (drop) their old shell and make a new, bigger one.
12. People catch king crabs to eat because many think they are tasty.
13. Fishermen who catch king crabs sometimes work on rough seas, so it can be a hard and dangerous job.
14. When king crabs are cooked for food, their shells turn bright red or orange.
15. They have little eyes on short stalks that help them look around for food and friends.

Try this: Draw your own king crab! Give it big claws, count 10 legs, and color it orange or brown. Which fact did you like best?