Mangrove-lined shores and muddy estuaries are the home of the mud crab, which lives in burrows or holes. The body is usually greenish brown, sometimes with a bluish tinge. Large examples can measure 25cm across the shell and weigh over 2kg. The claws are very heavy and powerful, making the mud crab a dangerous animal to handle. Aboriginal people sometimes use a long stick with a short hooked end to 'hook' the crabs from their burrows. Mud crabs often leave circular, shallow depressions across the mud flats. When the women are out hunting they might prod with a stick . . .