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Wednesday 16 July 2025 locAl
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“Cacalaca di Lama” Emerita (crustacean) Episode CCCXII - 312

Aruba is a highly sought-after tourist destination. How-
ever, due to its small size, it cannot withstand exces-
sive commercial development. This becomes evident
to those who have lived here for a long time and ob-
serve the changes closely.

We are witnessing a lack of sustainability as our is-
land’s natural environment increasingly falls victim to
exploitation. Aruba’s ecosystem is fragile—just a small
patch of Earth, yet it holds thousands of years of hu-
man history and billions of years of geological heri-
tage.

Our traditions teach us to value the little things in life,
a mindset shaped by the rhythms of island living. This
perspective fuels our deepest desire: to protect and
preserve what we have, and in doing so, to educate
our visitors about Aruba’s cultural and natural heri-
tage.

Once, the waters around Aruba exploded with col-
orful marine life—octopuses, seahorses, anemones,
urchin-covered coral reefs, sea turtles, and more—all
thriving just beneath the surface, easily visible with a
simple snorkel. Seashells, sand dollars, and hundreds
of starfish were a common sight. The vivid red of the ity about the environment. During our colonies move with the tide, staying
Caribbean starfish stood out beautifully against the own childhood, daily adventures of- within the surf zone.
soft white sand and the deep blue sea. ten included walks along beaches The cacalaca di lama reaches repro-
like Andicuri, Malmok, or Palm Beach, ductive maturity within its first year and
We enjoyed a vibrant, everyday biodiversity that in where we would dig in the wet sand typically has a lifespan of two to three
recent years has been severely impacted by care- at the edge of the waves, hunting for years. Females release bright orange
lessness, overexploitation, and ignorance. treasures—catching little crustaceans, eggs, which hatch into larvae that drift
For a long time, global attention on biodiversity fo- crabs, or worms. as plankton for several months. These
cused primarily on rainforests—drawn by their incred- These creatures burrow into the sand larvae can travel great distances on
ible species richness, medicinal potential, and rapid and use their feathery antennae to fil- ocean currents, contributing to the
degradation. Fortunately, in recent years, awareness ter food from the water. The cacalaca species’ broad distribution.
of marine biodiversity has been steadily growing. di lama belongs to the genus Emeri- It leaves us wondering—what hap-
On our island, human activity and unregulated ex- ta, a group of decapod crustaceans pened to our cacalaca di lama, and
ploitation have drastically altered both terrestrial and commonly known as mole crabs, sand to so many other native creatures?q
marine environments, leading to the decline of sev- fleas, or sand crabs.
eral native species. One such example is a small crus- If you enjoyed our stories and want to
tacean from the phylum Arthropoda, locally known These small crustaceans have a barrel- discover more about Aruba’s authen-
as cacalaca di lama, meaning “sea cockroach.” shaped body protected by a tough tic identity, don’t wait until the last
Once so common that we played with them as chil- exoskeleton. By tucking their limbs days of your stay—book a visit to Etnia
dren, they are now nearly impossible to find—even close to their bodies, they maintain Nativa, the only “living museum” of its
by chance. balance amid shifting waves. Measur- kind in the Caribbean.
Most children here grow up with a natural curios- ing about 2.5 cm in length, they are
resilient and widely distributed across Immerse yourself in this trend-set-
tropical regions. Males are typically ting cultural experience. Since 1994,
smaller than females. we’ve been dedicated to preserving
They live in colonies and are highly and sharing Aruba’s heritage—as co-
skilled at burrowing into the sand where founders of Arikok National Park, the
the waves break. Using their shells to Archaeological Museum of Aruba,
press into the sand and anchor their and board members of several artisan
limbs, they can bury themselves quick- and cultural foundations.
ly. However, digging is only possible
when the sand is loosened by wave Etnia Nativa offers more than just histo-
action. For this reason, they must orient ry; it shares deep-rooted values, time-
themselves quickly and begin burrow- less knowledge, and a connection to
ing before the wave recedes—an ef- the spiritual soul of the island.
fective strategy for avoiding predators Whats App+297 592 2702
such as fish and seabirds. Due to the etnianativa03@gmail.com
constantly shifting conditions, entire