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The 'giant' river crabs that live beneath Rome's ancient ruins


Not much remains from the time Rome was only a marshy valley—except the crabs that have taken over ancient canals.

“It doesn’t surprise me that these animals have lived there for so long.” The collapse of the Roman Empire and the disuse of the Forum gave these crabs uninterrupted reign over the territory, which could explain the population’s persistence, he adds. The city of Rome decided against adding grates to exposed canals and erecting signs to raise awareness about the crabs because such steps might ruin views of ancient monuments, such as the Colosseum (shown). To ensure the crabs’ survival, researchers need funds to study them and permission from the city to implement grates over exposed canals so that birds can’t easily prey on them.

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