Get a glimpse of crabs migrating in these new Google Street View images

Making your way to Australia's Christmas Island to witness its annual red crab migration isn't the easiest of trips, but now there's an easier way to see it happen: Just catch a glimpse on Google's Street View.

The pictures were collected by Alasdair Grigg from Parks, Australia, using Google's Street View Trekker 360 late last year. (Red crab migration generally starts at the beginning of October or November.) The images reveal some of the approximately 40 to 50 million crabs that make their way from the forest to the coast.

The crabs steadily make their way through the forest and to the ocean over a period that can be as long as 18 days.

Across the island, crabs have the right of way during the migration. Roads are often closed, and there are special crossings designated for crabs to navigate through.

They descend down cliffs and onto beaches, where the females release their eggs. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands, home to unique species like the Cocos Buff-banded rail bird, is also part of the Street View image collection.

"Capturing the imagery of Christmas Island and the Cocos Keeling Islands with the Google trekker camera has been an amazing adventure, every step of the way," Grigg said in a statement.

"I think it’s fantastic that people can now get a virtual experience of these places — from the dense jungle teaming with wildlife and rugged coastline of Christmas Island to the stunning white sandy beaches and aquamarine lagoon of the Cocos Atoll."

You can view the rest of the imagery collection here.