OCEAN CITY, N.J. – One of the Jersey Shore‘s quirkiest and longest-running summer traditions has once again become the target of criticism from PETA, which is urging Ocean City officials to replace live hermit crab races with remote-controlled robots.
Ahead of this month’s annual Miss Crustacean Hermit Crab Beauty Pageant and Hermit Crab Races, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to Mayor Jay Gillian asking the city to end the use of live hermit crabs in the popular family event.
Instead, the organization proposed a lineup of crab-themed activities, including races featuring robotic crabs, crab-walk relay races, bobbing for crab apples, and a pageant celebrating efforts to protect coastal wildlife.
To sweeten the proposal, PETA said it would even provide the robot crabs.
PETA says tradition promotes wildlife exploitation
PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk argued the annual event encourages the commercial pet trade involving hermit crabs.
“Hermit crabs are individuals with their own interests, and in this day and age, we know enough to respect them, rather than scoop them from their ocean homes and use them for our entertainment,” Newkirk said. “PETA urges Ocean City to shellebrate these clever crustaceans by leaving them in peace and letting robot crabs take the stage instead.”
In its letter, PETA said the annual pageant “celebrate[s] an industry that tears wild animals from their natural habitats and condemns them to short, deprived lives in captivity.”
The organization argues that hermit crabs are often removed from the wild, housed in inadequate conditions, and frequently die long before reaching their natural lifespan.
“Hermit crabs are not toys, trinkets, props, or pets,” Newkirk wrote. “Respecting crabs begins with recognizing that they are individuals with their own interests, not forcing them into pageants and races for human amusement.”
PETA also alleges that some wholesalers remove hermit crabs from their natural shells using heat or physical force before placing them into painted decorative shells that can contain harmful chemicals.
Shore tradition draws families every summer
The Miss Crustacean Hermit Crab Beauty Pageant has become one of Ocean City’s signature summer attractions, drawing families, children, visitors, local businesses, and community organizations to the beach each August.
Participants decorate and present their hermit crabs during the pageant, with the winner receiving the whimsical Cucumber Rind Cup before taking a walk down a flower-lined runway.
This year’s event is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 19, with registration beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the pageant starting at 6 p.m. at the 6th Street Beach. Registration is free and open to participants of all ages.
Ocean City officials had not publicly responded to PETA’s proposal as of Saturday afternoon.
The annual event has become a staple of the resort’s family-friendly image, joining baby parades, sand sculpting contests, and other traditions that have entertained generations of visitors. While PETA has periodically challenged animal-based entertainment events across the country, Ocean City’s hermit crab pageant has continued despite previous criticism.
Whether city officials consider replacing live hermit crabs with robots remains to be seen, but the proposal has once again placed one of the Jersey Shore’s most unusual summer traditions at the center of a broader debate over animal welfare and community traditions.
Sources
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
- Letter from Ingrid Newkirk to Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian
- Ocean City events calendar
FAQ
- What is PETA asking Ocean City to do?
Replace the Hermit Crab Races and Miss Crustacean Beauty Pageant with activities that do not use live animals, including robot crab races. - What alternatives did PETA suggest?
Robot crab races, crab-walk relay races, bobbing for crab apples, and a pageant promoting coastal wildlife conservation. - When is the Miss Crustacean event?
Aug. 19, with registration beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the pageant starting at 6 p.m. - Has Ocean City responded?
As of Saturday, city officials had not publicly responded to PETA’s proposal. - What is the Cucumber Rind Cup?
It is the traditional trophy awarded to the winning hermit crab in the annual beauty pageant.
Key Points
- PETA wants Ocean City to replace its Hermit Crab Races with robot crab competitions.
- The organization says the event promotes the capture and confinement of wild hermit crabs.
- Ocean City’s annual Miss Crustacean Beauty Pageant remains scheduled for Aug. 19.
