The Brave Rivercrab

The brave rivercrab in its happy home

One of Oaxaca’s major sources of income is tourism. This is quite the double-edged sword, as it helps generate wealth, but can also have disastrous effects on both the human population and nature, if not managed wisely.

It’s tough to realize that while hotels have plenty of water, even in times of drought, locals often have to wait for weeks to have their tanks filled. Business in the city center never seems to stop, but if you make the effort to venture into different parts and get to know the „real“ Oaxaca, the pretty picture painted often doesn’t match.

Once I was invited by a neighbor to a place in the mountains, which he wanted to turn into a tourist experience. He showed me around the untouched forest and led me along a dry riverbed, until we reached a secluded space with some huge boulders. A trickle of water ran into a little pond by our feet.

It was truly a magical place; it felt like the rocks themselves were giving off a warm, protective energy and the silence made me feel like I had entered a sacred space, a cathedral of sorts. I could understand why my neighbor thought it would be interesting to visitors with an affinity for nature, and a good source of extra income for him.

While we were standing there, in awe of the beauty of this spot, a little rivercrab climbed out of the water onto a small rock, and looked at us. It sat perfectly still, just looking up with a very serious expression on its little face. The scene around it seemed to blur, and for a moment – or maybe it was an eternity, time always seems to disappear when animals speak – I felt like the crab and I were alone in the universe. Although I knew it was saying something, at the time, I didn’t hear or perceive any words.

After a while, it clambered back into the water, and we started our return journey home. Dusk was setting in, the climb was steep, and there was no electricity or light so far outside the village. The day ended, we bid our farewells, and life went on as usual, until a few days later, when I bumped into my neighbour again, and he asked me what I thought about his idea to take tourists up there.

Without thinking, I blurted out: „Didn’t you hear what the crab said? ‚This is our habitat, our house, our only home. We share it with many other species, there is a delicate balance, that’s why it feels so special. Please be careful who you invite here, because you could really ruin it for us.’“

Turns out I had understood its message after all. The crab had risked its life as an ambassador for all the inhabitants of the forest. I hope we all realize that this planet is our home, and biodiversity is essential to keeping the delicate equilibrium that makes this home so beautiful and unique in the universe.

Thankfully, my neighbor was wise enough to heed the words of the brave rivercrab and leave its home untouched.