Page 14 - AHATA

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LOcAL Friday 8 august 2025

Watch out for Blue Crab Migration near Savaneta

(Oranjestad)—The depart-
ment of nature & environ-
ment in Aruba are urg-
ing motorists to watch out
for blue crabs crossing
the road in Pos Chiquito
to make their way to the
ocean.

They added a new bright
yellow road sign with “Land
Crab Crossing” to remind deep in the beach sand in Because they are of high
people to be cautious seek of humidity. value for the ecology of
while driving on the high- The diet of blue crabs con- the mangroves. Conserv-
way on Pos Chiquito with sists of decomposed trees, ing the blue crabs is cru-
blue crabs. insects, scorpions and rest cial for the preservation of
Blue crabs in Aruba are of dead animals. mangroves.
found plenty near the Nesting season for blue Watch out for crossing
beach areas, especially in crabs is between June & blue crabs on the highway
Pos Chiquito, because of July. near Pos Chiquito & Santo
the amount of mangroves. Why protect blue crabs? Largo.q
They are known to dig holes

How Aruban beaches came to be!

(Oranjestad)—We’ve talk-
ed about the best beaches
to visit on the island before,
but have you ever won-
dered how Aruba got its
white, sandy beaches, and
why there’s a clear differ-
ence between the northern
and southern shores? Here
are some fun facts about
the development of Aru-
ban beaches.
small bite at a time. Over around a torn coral reef stronger and the ocean between Aruba and the
How did Aruba get its white, the course of thousands is swept away along with floor is much deeper, there South American continent
sandy beaches? of years, as waves contin- the debris by the ocean is no sand present—they is simply referred to as land
Aruba’s beaches have de- ue to crash and fish con- stream. However, in areas were swept away with the that runs under the ocean.
veloped over the span of tinue to eat off the corals, where it’s shallow and the current! This is why it gets gradu-
thousands of years. Waves sand starts to accumulate stream is weaker, the sand ally deeper in the south,
crashing on the rocky for- around the area. Howev- tends to sick to the bot- Why north deep, but south whereas the ocean floor in
mations along our coast er, whether the sand stays tom faster. This is why the shallow? the north runs steeply to the
line (which consists mainly there is another question beaches in the south—the Ah! Good question…and bottom.
of coral reefs) have start- to be answered, and this is areas with weaker stream interesting phrasing.
ed to wear and tear the where we highlight the big- and shallower ocean Source: archival document
reefs over time, resulting gest difference between floors—has sand that Aruba is a continental provided by the National
in its gradual breakdown. the northern and southern stretches for miles. In con- island. The island actu- Archive of Aruba (ANA). q
Fish that feed off corals coast of the island. trast, the northern area, ally forms part of South
also contribute to this, one The sand that accumulates where the stream is much America, and the space