Item #: 712
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: Specimens of SCP-712 under study are to be housed at Site 22 (formerly the town of ███████, Oklahoma). Small specimens are no more dangerous than any other similarly sized predatory animal and can be handled safely by trained personnel. Trailer-sized or larger specimens should be approached only with extreme caution and hardened safety cages.
SCP-712 specimens found in the wild are to be relocated to Site 22 by Mobile Task Force Iota-3 (AKA: Nickname) if it is possible to do so without causing undue comment. Class A amnesiacs should be administered to any civilian witnesses. Larger specimens, including those at Site 22 that outgrow the buildings on site, should be neutralized using a combination of high amperage electrical current and shaped explosive charges, and cleanup is to be performed according to procedures detailed in (Document name). New host buildings should be constructed at Site 22 as necessary.
Description: SCP-712 is apparently a giant variant of the Australian land hermit crab, Coenobita variabilis, that has adapted to live in urban environments. Like its smaller cousins, SCP-712 has an asymmetrical body and soft, vulnerable abdomen, which it protects by occupying a hard shell. Unlike its relatives, SCP-712’s preferred habitat is not discarded gastropod shells, but abandoned man-made structures. Juveniles have been observed to inhabit coffee cans, trash bins, doghouses, vehicles, and sheds. As SCP-712 grows, it moves into ever-larger abandoned structures. The largest recorded specimen of SCP-712 was occupying a parking garage in Detroit, MI. Foundation agents were called in after local authorities lost several officers investigating the disappearance of transients in the area, and the building was purchased and demolished according to procedure.
SCP-712’s body is translucent, likely a camouflage adaptation to make it more difficult to detect through windows. Apart from its armored head and claws, SCP-712 shows considerably more malleability than its smaller cousins, and it will deform its body to fit into irregularly shaped constructions. It secretes a thick mucous from large pores on its abdomen which it uses to anchor itself to the walls of its chosen home.
SCP-712 is omnivorous and will eat nearly any organic matter. Large specimens become almost exclusively carnivorous, preying on passing humans as well as animals, and thus pose a significant hazard to city populations.
SCP-712 is nocturnal, and juveniles and young adults are extremely shy of human contact. They typically come to the Foundation’s attention only when they have grown large enough to threaten human populations. It is therefore difficult to determine how many may still be loose in the wild. Studies of the captive specimens at Site 22 suggest that SCP-712 reaches breeding age at around 8 years, when it has grown to roughly the size of a small car, and lays 6 to 8 eggs a year in a cluster, which it covers with dirt. Most of the eggs fail to hatch and are consumed by the hatchlings. The Foundation currently has 8 adult specimens and 14 juveniles in containment at Site 22.
Small SCP-712 specimens relocate frequently in search of food, carrying their “shells” with them. Thus, an effective way to locate wild SCP-712 is to examine satellite imagery for buildings that have moved (see attached image; the abandoned car wash circled in red hosts a medium-sized SCP-712). Larger specimens appear to be increasingly reluctant or unable to move, and usually seek to move into a building with easy access to passing foot traffic.
Addendum: While tests have shown that yes, SCP-712’s flesh is delicious when boiled and served with Old Bay seasoning and butter, personnel are reminded that removing specimens under study for personal consumption is prohibited. A request to prepare one for the staff picnic in June is under consideration. -Dr. ██████