A tiny crab rolled dozens of small sand balls on a beach in southern Thailand.

Footage shows the small crustacean making small sand pellets near its burrow at the Khaolak-Lamru National Park in Phang Nga province on January 10.

These creatures belong to the Dotillidae family and grow to around a centimetre when they mature.

During low tide, sand bubbler crabs emerge from their burrows and eat by passing sand through their mandibles. They consume organic matter, then spit out beads of sand which litter the shores on which they live.

When confronted with a threat, these crabs swiftly retreat into their burrows and hide from predators.

Sand bubbler crabs are said to enrich the sand by increasing its nutrient and oxygen content, according to Khaolak-Lamru National Park staff.