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Conservationists say the practice of catching the crabs, bleeding them for the unique chemical that detects toxic contamination, and then returning them to sea results in far too many of them dying.
Editor’s note: Some people tell us about one book they’re reading, and some, like LIZ SOLET of Blue Hill, who sent us this list, have an enticing and varied stack. “The Narrow Edge: A Tiny Bird, and Ancient Crab, and an Epic Journey” by Deborah Cramer “Catch and Release: The Enduring Yet Vulnerable Horseshoe Crab” […]
An alternative test is urgently needed to protect horseshoe crabs and the birds that depend on their eggs.
Published: Thursday, January 28, 2021 Horseshoe crab blood collage. Photo credits: Claudine Hellmuth/E&E News (illustration); Freepik (photos and horseshoe crab) Horseshoe crab blood is a vital ingredient in tests that ensure the safety of vaccines. Claudine Hellmuth/E&E News (illustration); Freepik (photos and horseshoe crab) The biotech blitz to stop the spread of the coronavirus has conservationists worried about a little-known front-line worker: the horseshoe crab. The creature's milky-blue blood is a key ingredient in tests used to ensure drugs aren't contaminated with endotoxins that co...