Good News for the Horseshoe Crab

As we’ve previously noted, Horseshoe Crab populations are very vulnerable and due to the value of their blood to the pharmaceutical industry are highly sought after.

Their harvest also has a knock on effect on the migratory Red Knot bird, which uses their nutrient rich eggs to fuel it’s long flights.

Earlier in the month (May 12th) a court in the US has ordered a halt to the harvesting of Horseshoe Crabs by Charles River Labs.

The legal ruling states that the contracted fishers do not have the correct permissions to harvest the animals. It also notes that previous rulings did not take sufficient account of the effect on the migratory bird wildlife.

Attorney Lindsay Dubin writes “For years, Charles River has exploited the refuge while the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service has turned a blind eye.”

Hopefully, considerations for the complexity of the natural world and the interconnectedness of all life will encourage the development and use of synthetic alternatives.