A second Chinese mitten crab was caught in an Oregon river this year, following an earlier capture in April. The most recent specimen was found in the Willamette River close to Portland on November 17, according to the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW).
These crabs live their adult lives in freshwater but breed in brackish water, unlike Oregon’s native crab species that dwell in ocean, bays or estuaries. The hand‑captured crab was still alive when it was taken from a shallow pool, but it was not released back into the river. The name comes from the “hairy mitten‑like” appearance of their claws.
ODFW notes that the crabs are medium‑sized—about 3 inches wide—and their coloration ranges from brownish‑orange to greenish‑brown. They sport a distinctive notch between the eyes and four spines along the sides of their bodies, and they burrow into rock walls, levees or stream banks, which can accelerate erosion and damage flood‑control and water‑supply structures. Their diet includes native fish, their eggs and even crayfish, posing a threat to local biodiversity.
Ownership or sale of these crabs in Oregon is illegal. The department urges anyone who spots a creature resembling a Chinese mitten crab to call 1‑866‑INVADER or use the online Oregon Invasive Species reporting hotline. State agencies—including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland State’s Center for Lakes and Reservoirs and the Oregon Invasive Species Council—are working together to determine whether additional mitten crabs are present in the Willamette River.
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