A CRAB CALLED JOHN

The yellow land crab lives a secret life on an island stronghold off the coast of Brazil. One photographer went to find out more about this charismatic crustacean.

- FERNANDO FACIOLE

I’M CROUCHING UNCOMFORTABLY AMONG SHARP volcanic rocks, yet I’m buzzing with the thrill of discovery. Behind me, a vast sea stretches to the horizon, the waves crashing against the shore with a rhythmic roar; in front of me, a large, vivid crustacean is scuttling across a dark, lumpy outcrop with a gentle tip-tap of its claws, offering a welcome burst of colour in this rugged, almost alien landscape. It’s a yellow land crab, otherwise known as John.

This is my first encounter with this species, yet it feels like I’m greeting an old friend. Ever since I first clapped eyes on an image of a yellow land crab, I’ve been eager to find it and tell its story. Seeing it in the flesh is a dream come true.

It’s March 2024 and I have just arrived on the remote island of Trindade, about 1,100km east of the coast of Brazil, on a four-day photographic assignment. With me is Márcio João, a doctoral student from São Paulo State University. We are lucky to even be here: Trindade is off-limits to the general public, and the only way we could get to the island was by hitching a lift with the Brazilian Navy, which supports research through the ProTrindade project. Our ocean odyssey from Rio de Janeiro had been marked with endless views of blue, engaging conversations and games of dominoes.