Dire Crab (animal)
Though chiefly deep-water animals, some dire crab species are known to seasonally migrate to shallow waters or outright live most of their lifespans on sandy beaches and rocky coasts, though hunting has significantly reduced their populations in areas with large-scale human habitation.
There is no shortage of encounters with large crabs during our trek down the sandy coast, though only a scarce few are larger than a dog. Most retreat upon spotting us, and we don't bother pursuing - game of such trifling size is not what we are here for.
Eventually, however, we encounter one specimen that absolutely dwarfs anything we had seen previously - slightly larger than a wolf, this particular crab does not even seem to take note of our presence. Resting half-submerged within the water, it is likely to fight back with ferocity when provoked, so it would be best if the first few hits managed to kill or incapacitate it.