Atlantic horseshoe crabs spawning in the shallow sandy waters of the Delaware Bay estuary, New Jersey in the US. Photograph: Alamy

                   NOVEMBER 3rd 2018

By Patryk Krych | The World Daily

Oncoming Extinction of a Living Fossil

Very few people know of the American horseshoe crab – a living fossil. A species that had outlived the dinosaurs, and survived over millions of years without much to fear… Until now. This species’ greatest threat after its near endless time on the Earth has finally been revealed, and as most would expect, it is of course a human threat. The pharmaceutical companies, fishers, and oceanic pollution. Its first existential threat in over 450 million years.

With the successful survival so far of four major mass extinctions worldwide, and very little evolutionary change since then, the American horseshoe crab is by all definitions a living fossil. Their numbers have already been dwindling over the past few years. In fact, in 2016, the species was put on the ‘vulnerable’ list, by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

The pharmaceutical threat to the crabs lives is based around what’s in their blood – limulus amoebocyte lysate, the most sensitive indicator of bacteria known to man, used in the identification of contaminants in surgical equipment, vaccinations, and pacemaker fittings. The blood is nearly vital to medicine, in fact.

Whilst many of the worlds wildlife campaigns tend to have their efforts focused on preserving the lives of safari animals, pandas, and general megafauna, the species such as crabs and insects often go by unnoticed. It is a problem of great proportions, especially with the recent spotlight on the human dependence on bees. The crabs are no different.

It has been further estimated by a report by the United Nations that humanity have brought an end to nearly 30% of the world’s ecological wealth, including species, forests, rivers and soil, all since the year of 1992. 30% in only 25 years of humans dabbling in nature, in what’s been referred to as a “startling” rate by the report.

Being used most commonly in America, the liquid has been priced between $35,000 and $60,000 per gallon, making it officially one of the most valuable liquids on Earth by this point. In addition, it’s one of the liquids with the highest market demands.

Each year, more than 430,000 of these crabs are captured by the US pharmaceutical companies, get over 30% of their blood harvested, before being released back into the ocean. It is a difficult process, seeing as the blood is extracted via puncturing the shells, dangerously close to their hearts. Between 5% and 20% of the crabs die during this process, studies show, and leaves female crabs less capable of breeding once they are released.

Measures are being taken to reduce the loss of these crabs and preserve their existence, of course, but lab alternatives would have an insignificant impact according to Thomas Novitsky of the Horseshoe Crab Conservation Association. He suggested that a better tactic to preserve the crabs would be to have tighter protection of habitats, reduce bait fishing, and of course find better ways to extract the blood – less harmful and lethal ways, preferably.

“Their profits are enormous and they support little or no conservation efforts,” Novitsky said, “Economic growth, profit and immediate ‘benefit’ for humankind always seem to win out over sustainability and environmental protection, which is the insurance for our future,” And further claiming that the industries had overstated the importance of the lysate in the medical profession.

Claire Crowley of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute has also expressed concerns over the increase in red algae levels – algae which poison and cause harm to marine life, a cause largely due to fertiliser run-off along the coast of Miami. “Presumably the toxins cause stress, and the extremely low levels of oxygen in the water cause the mortality,” Crowley said, “We have seen this in stone crab population within this area. While stone and horseshoe crabs have the capacity to move, it is likely not fast enough to escape these conditions.”

By Patryk Krych | The World Daily