Media Release: Proposal to Export 180,000 Hermit Crabs
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE FROM GEORGIE PURCELL AND AMANDA DORN
A proposed Federal Government license is seeking to allow up to 180,000 hermit crabs be collected from Western Australia’s coastline and exported overseas for the international pet trade.
Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell has teamed up with her interstate counterpart, Western Australian Animal Justice Party MP Amanda Dorn to launch a campaign seeking to block the barbaric proposal.
The proposal, submitted by Merv Cooper's Crazy Crabs, seeks to export 5000 hermit crabs every month to international pet markets for the next three years.
Ms Purcell and Ms Dorn have blasted the move as ecologically irresponsible and warned the proposed operation could amount to unsustainable harvesting practices and jeopardise the species' survival.
This proposal should be urgently rejected because:
Land hermit crabs are essential members of coastal dune and forest ecosystems who recycle organic material, aerate soil through burrowing behaviour and play a crucial role in shell exchange chains.
They are not easy pets to care for. They require specific humidity and heat levels to survive and often die prematurely due to improper care and stress from handling and relocation. In the wild, they can live for up to 30 years. In captivity, most die within months to a few years.
No clear population impact studies have been publicly disclosed, which make this licence scientifically and ethically questionable.
Quotes attributable to Animal Justice Party MP for Northern Victoria Georgie Purcell
““As Sebastian the hermit crab said in the Little Mermaid, ‘Darlin’ it’s better, down where it’s wetter, take it from me’. And he was right – these animals belong in the wild and under the sea – not in captivity.”
“This proposal is a stark example of the federal government's failure to uphold rigorous scientific and environmental standards. Allowing the commercial export of a native species without comprehensive ecological assessments is reckless and short-sighted.”
“Hermit crabs are vital to our ecosystems. They recycle nutrients, enrich soil, and form part of a delicate coastal balance. Once they’re gone—there’s no putting the shell back together.”
Quotes attributable to Animal Justice Party MP for Western Australia Amanda Dorn
"The approval of this operation would set a dangerous precedent, prioritising commercial interests over the health of our unique wildlife and ecosystems. If we allow this trade to continue unchecked, we risk irreversibly damaging fragile ecosystems.”
“Conservation isn’t just about the iconic species—it’s about the overlooked ones too, and we know the welfare of the hermit crab is underrated and overlooked.”
“We have a duty to protect animals we know so little about and turning wild animals into novelty pets sends the wrong message to future generations.”