Mon Mar 10 13:32:20 UTC 2025: ## Hundreds of Endangered Horseshoe Crabs Found Dead on Odisha Coast
**Bhubaneswar, Odisha – March 10, 2025** – Environmentalists have raised alarm over the discovery of hundreds of dead horseshoe crabs on Odisha’s Balasore coast. The finding highlights the critical threat facing this ancient species, known for its unique blue blood used in medical testing.
Bikash Saathi NGO founder Biswajeet Panda reported finding hundreds of dead crabs, many recently deceased, at Gudpahi beach. While his team released 163 crabs trapped in fishing nets, the large number of carcasses signals a serious problem. This coincides with the breeding season, when these living fossils come ashore to lay thousands of eggs.
B.C. Choudhury of the Wildlife Trust of India blamed destructive fishing practices, stating that Balasore, once a haven for horseshoe crabs, risks becoming their graveyard. He emphasized the species’ medicinal value and the urgent need for conservation. Many breeding grounds are located within a restricted zone of the Chandipur Integrated Test Range, a missile testing facility, complicating conservation efforts. The Forest Department’s assistance is deemed crucial.
A recent study, “Fishery Bycatch Jeopardises Indian Horseshoe Crab (Tachypleus gigas) Along the Northeast Coast of Odisha, India,” further underscores the threat. Over two years, 6,546 entangled horseshoe crabs were recorded, with 5,138 found dead. The study’s lead author, Bishnu Prasad Dash of Fakir Mohan University, highlighted the devastating impact on reproduction, as a single female can lay 8,000-10,000 eggs. The abandoned fishing nets are a primary cause of crab entrapment. The researchers’ rescue efforts have saved some crabs, but the scale of the mortality remains deeply concerning. The urgent need for effective conservation measures to protect this ancient and valuable species is paramount.
First Piper 