India Tags Horseshoe Crabs for Conservation Efforts

August 20, 2024

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the Odisha Forest Department have started a project to tag horseshoe crabs along the Odisha coast. This is the first time India has taken such an initiative to help protect these crabs, whose numbers are worryingly decreasing.

Why Horseshoe Crabs Are Important

Horseshoe crabs are some of the oldest creatures on Earth and are very important for medicine. Their blood is used to test the safety of medical products, making them essential for our health.

Types of Horseshoe Crabs in India

India has two species of horseshoe crabs: Tachypleus gigas, found on the Odisha coast, and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda, found in the Sundarbans mangroves of West Bengal. Both species are protected under India’s Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

Threats to Horseshoe Crabs

Horseshoe crabs face many threats, especially from harmful fishing practices and illegal smuggling, which have caused their numbers to decline. It’s important to have strong management strategies to protect them.

The Tagging Program

The tagging program involves attaching small tags to horseshoe crabs to learn more about their populations and where they live. So far, 70 crabs have been tagged, and the plan is to tag hundreds more over the next three years.

Working Together to Protect Horseshoe Crabs

Fakir Mohan University of Balasore and other experts are helping with this conservation project. They are looking for ways to reduce harmful fishing practices, like using destructive nets, that threaten horseshoe crabs. In the long term, wildlife experts are pushing for the development of a Species Recovery Plan. This plan would help ensure the survival and protection of horseshoe crabs in India.

Interesting Facts About Horseshoe Crabs

Horseshoe crabs are more related to spiders than to crabs.
They have blue blood because it contains a special substance called hemocyanin that helps carry oxygen.
Horseshoe crabs have been around for over 450 million years and have survived five mass extinctions.
They don’t have jaws; they use special appendages to chew their food.
Their eyes can see ultraviolet light.
They can regenerate lost limbs.
Horseshoe crab blood is very important for testing medical equipment for bacteria, so they are crucial for modern medicine.

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