Blood from a horseshoe crab saves lives. Can we keep these creatures safe from us, humans? The entire effects of the industry are yet unknown, although humans rely on animal blood for laboratory testing.
One ancient species living in the seas of the Atlantic coast has played an important role in the fight against COVID-19. Overharvesting for food, bait, and biomedical testing, as well as habitat degradation from coastal reclamation and development, threaten the world's horseshoe crab stocks. Shoreline changes designed to preserve beaches from erosion and sea level rise caused by climate change impact their spawning habitats.