Help Florida scientists locate horseshoe crab habitats

Horseshoe crabs aren't the cutest or most cuddly animal, but the play an important role in coastal habitats.

Their populations have decreased over time, according to researchers with the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg, who are asking for the public's help to document where these animals are located.

"They're a relic. They've been around for 350 million years, and they have changed very little since," said Ryan Gandy, a scientist with the institute, an arm of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Due to harvesting for the bait industry and loss of habitat, horseshoe crab numbers are decreasing from Maine to the Gulf Coast. As sea walls have gone up, the beaches available for the crabs to spawn have been reduced.

Gandy said the institute needs help searching for places where the horseshoe crabs are spawning. By finding horseshoe crabs, researchers can work to protect them.

"There's a lot of concern about the numbers, not just for the crabs themselves, but for those birds and animals that depend on that food source," said Joe Malo, a marine biologist with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Migrating birds time their migration to coincide with the spawning of horseshoe crabs, and the birds will feast on crab eggs to give them enough energy to reach their destination.

The crabs are useful to humans in others ways. Research on their eyes has led to a better understanding of human vision, and the blood is useful in the biomedical industry, according to the conservation commission. Materials in the shells also are used in contact lenses, skin creams and hairsprays.

The best time to find spawning horseshoe crabs is the few days before and after a full moon and new moon. They are typically found on sloping sand beaches where the water is relatively calm.

Researchers hope that with the help of many eyes, they can document spawning beaches that would have otherwise taken years to find.

If you want to help identify where horseshoe crabs are located, the conservation commission offers a downloadable form where you can record their number and location and whether they are mating. Go to www.myfwc.com/NEWSROOM/07/statewide/News_07_X_Horseshoe.htm.