- The dwindling population of horseshoe crabs along Odisha’s coast has raised concerns among scientists and conservationists.
- These are living fossils, surviving for 445 million years without morphological changes.
- The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in collaboration with the Odisha Forest Department in 2023 began tagging horseshoe crabs to understand their movements and population dynamics, a crucial step toward their conservation.
- Horseshoe crabs Class: Merostomata.
- India is home to two species of horseshoe crabs: Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda and Tachypleus gigas, found along Odisha’s coast.
- Threats:
- They travel considerable distances but are often caught in fishing nets, leading to mortality.
- The species faces habitat destruction due to shoreline fortifications, encroachment, and human activities that degrade spawning grounds.
- The decline of mangrove forests and the transformation of sandy beaches further threaten their natural habitat.
- Horseshoe crab blood, used to produce Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate (LAL) for medical testing, is highly valued, with up to 30% mortality in the process of blood extraction.
- Conservation Efforts:
- Scientists propose measures like artificial breeding or protecting spawning grounds if a significant decline is observed.
- Conservationists suggest establishing a conservation reserve along Odisha’s Balasore coast, where safe spawning grounds are documented.
- Coastal Regulatory Zones (CRZ-1 A) have been declared in some areas to protect the species, restricting certain human activities.
Dig Deeper: Read more about Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate.
