This small, yet colourful and charismatic creature is one of the most important species in the Galapagos Islands and it is not because of its good looks!

Sierra club magazine dubs the Sally Lightfoot as "head of the clean-up crew on the Galapagos Islands". It has evolved, truly adapted to its environment. It can walk on water and scale vertical gradients... talk about all terrain!

Its eyes pop out of its head
It lives by the sea in between rocks
It eats mostly algae...

but most important of all is its ability to digest almost anything. This allows this unique little animal to eat up and scavenge dead animals, organic waist and almost anything that comes in its path, and in the end leaves a clean non-polluted beach.

The crab (scientific name Grapsus grapsus) is a very common species and is easily found along the west coast of the Americas from Mexico to northern Peru. 

It loves to pose on lava rocks, next to marine iguanas and is quite a character. Be sure to get a picture with this celebrity in the background, on your next Galapagos Cruise .

You can find him on every Island and at most visitor sites.