10/05/19

After 450 Million Years, the Chinese Horseshoe Crab is now Endangered

China: The horseshoe crab has been around since before the dinosaurs. Over the past 30 years, numbers in China, home to one of four species of this “living fossil”, have plummeted. One of the main reasons is demand for the animal’s copper-based blood, which is used to make the most sensitive indicator of bacteria ever discovered. In March this year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the Chinese horseshoe crab (also known as the tri-spine horseshoe) as endangered. But few people in China are aware of the plight of this 450-million-year- old creature, and experts are calling for stronger measures to protect it. download the pdf.

05/27/19

Grilled Horseshoe Crabs a Big Hit in Malaysia

Malaysia: A stall offering exotic seafood, belangkas bakar (grilled horseshoe crabs), is attracting visitors at Padang Wahid Ramadan Bazaar in Kedawang. According to seller, Zaitun Jaafar, 22, horseshoe crabs prepared in various cooking styles — grilled, boiled, cooked in sambal, masak lemak cili padi and kerabustyle are offered at her stall daily. download the pdf.

08/19/19

Blue-Blooded Crabs at Heart of Pharma Dispute on Drug Testing

Zurich: Swiss biotech Lonza and U.S.-based Charles River Laboratories are the biggest suppliers of crab blood-based endotoxin tests, which detect bacterial contamination in intravenous drugs and medical implants. They are now at odds over the future of this testing, as Lonza urges adoption of a synthetic alternative called recombinant Factor C (rFC), amid pressure from wildlife campaigners and worries about supply reliability. Meanwhile, Charles River, which is still studying rFC, argues moving too quickly could compromise patient safety. download the pdf.

10/05/19

After 450 Million Years, the Chinese Horseshoe Crab is now Endangered

China: The horseshoe crab has been around since before the dinosaurs. Over the past 30 years, numbers in China, home to one of four species of this “living fossil”, have plummeted. One of the main reasons is demand for the animal’s copper-based blood, which is used to make the most sensitive indicator of bacteria ever discovered. In March this year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the Chinese horseshoe crab (also known as the tri-spine horseshoe) as endangered. But few people in China are aware of the plight of this 450-million-year- old creature, and experts are calling for stronger measures to protect it. download the pdf.

10/05/19

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge Project Wins Climate Adaptation Award

Delaware: Both the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge and the adjacent community of Prime Hook Beach are part of ERDG’s Backyard Stewardship™ community horseshoe crab sanctuary program. download the pdf.

08/19/19

Blue-Blooded Crabs at Heart of Pharma Dispute on Drug Testing

Zurich: Swiss biotech Lonza and U.S.-based Charles River Laboratories are the biggest suppliers of crab blood-based endotoxin tests, which detect bacterial contamination in intravenous drugs and medical implants. They are now at odds over the future of this testing, as Lonza urges adoption of a synthetic alternative called recombinant Factor C (rFC), amid pressure from wildlife campaigners and worries about supply reliability. Meanwhile, Charles River, which is still studying rFC, argues moving too quickly could compromise patient safety. download the pdf.

07/25/19

Horseshoe Crabs, the Red Knot and a Broken Rung

Delaware: This is a story about horseshoe crabs, but we’re going to start by talking about a bird, the red knot, because that’s what people noticed first. We’ll get to the crabs (they aren’t really crabs) and how they save lives (so many lives!) and what’s happening in Asia (it’s even worse than what’s happening here) and climate change (of course). But first, the bird. download the pdf.

06/26/19

4th International Workshop on the Science and Conservation of Horseshoe Crabs

China:  In early 2005, ERDG and a number of horseshoe crab biologists and conservationists from around the world began discussions about the need to have a forum in which we could meet, exchange ideas, and plan future research and conservation strategies. This effort culminated in the 1st International Workshop on the Science and Conservation of Horseshoe Crabs, held in the fall of 2007, in New York, USA. After which, it was decided to hold these workshops every four years at locations throughout the four horseshoe crab species spawning range. The 2nd workshop was held in Hong Kong, June 13 -16, 2011. The 3rd workshop was held in Sasebo City, Japan, June 15 -19, 2015. On June 15th-20th in Guangxi and Beihai, China, more than 140 scientists, conservationist, corporate representatives, and government officials from 18 countries, attended the 4th International Workshop on the Science and Conservation of Horseshoe Crabs, to elevate our collective understanding of the world’s four extant horseshoe crab species, the conservation challenges they face, and how together we can overcome the ignorance and indifference that has for so long hampered efforts to protect these remarkable mariners.

In addition to the presentation of papers and posters on the science and conservation of these species, ample time was set aside for working groups to address a host of conservation challenges from collecting data to complete the IUCN RED list assessment on Tachypleus gigas and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda, to reducing the loss of critical spawning and nursery habitat, eliminating the unsustainable harvest for human consumption and bacterial endotoxin test production in Asia, and to develop an effective conservation message that transcends geographic boundaries, governmental malaise, linguistics, social and cultural indifference.

Important accomplishments to come out of this workshop was The Beibu Gulf Declaration on Global Horseshoe Crab Conservation, which represents our collected resolve towards the conservation of the world’s four extant horseshoe crab species by all those in attendance, and includes the establishment of the International Day of the Horseshoe Crab to be celebrated every year on June 20th.

Attached is the workshop abstracts. download the pdf.

05/16/19

ERDG’s Horseshoe Crab Stranding Mitigation Project

Delaware: In late April a partnership between DNREC, the Veterans Conservation Corps and the Ecological Research & Development Group (ERDG) installed a 350-foot wooden temporary storm fence across a stretch of beach to prevent horseshoe crab strandings on one of the most productive spawning beaches in the world. download the pdf.