Thai wildlife authorities garnered attention online after posting images of a rare, purple-shelled crab.
The crab is known locally as the princess crab in a nod to Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Thailand's princess, but is more commonly called the panda crab, according to Popular Science, which described the animal as "alien-looking."
Typically, panda crabs feature black-and-white markings, not the vibrant purple shown in the photos.
"The discovery is considered a precious gift from nature," read a post accompanying the images of the surreal crustacean, according to a translation in Popular Science. "The appearance of the Princess Crab is not only a rare sighting of an elusive species, but also an important indicator of the ecosystem's health."
Park rangers working at Thailand's Kaeng Krachan National Park spotted the rare crab near the conclusion of the park's tourist season.
"Kaeng Krachan National Park, a World Heritage Site with valuable biodiversity, is home to protected wildlife species," read a subsequent post by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, per Popular Science. "The presence of these animals demonstrates that the forest area still maintains excellent environmental quality."
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In addition to the rare crabs, the park contains a broad spectrum of biodiversity, including animals ranging from leopards and bears to king cobra snakes, according to its website. The largest national park in Thailand, Kaeng Krachan covers more than 1,100 square miles.
Maintaining healthy ecosystems in which biodiversity can thrive benefits humans in numerous ways. Biodiversity plays a vital role in providing people around the globe with food, clean water, and even medicine.
According to the World Health Organization, pollinators alone contribute as much as half a trillion dollars per year to global agricultural output, feeding billions of people. Additionally, more than half of all modern medicines have been "derived from natural sources, including antibiotics from fungi and painkillers from plant compounds."
The experts working at Thailand's national parks understand this lesson well.
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"The appearance of the royal crab serves as a reminder of the value of our world heritage forest, which we must all help to preserve," the department said in its post, according to Popular Science.
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