A race for the cure to end a global pandemic could affect populations of horseshoe crabs. How do horseshoe crabs tie into finding a vaccine you ask? Well, it's in their blood. The blue blood act as an indicator of the presence of contaminants during vaccine trials. The crab's blood will coagulate if there are enough contaminants. The problem is that in order to use the blood, you have to drain the crabs of more than half of their blood. the process kills thousands during mass crab blood draws. 

The good news is that there is an alternative; however, the bad news is that the US pharmaceutical agency is not willing to use it. Therefore, they continue to unsustainably harvest horseshoe crab blood. 

The USP is targeting the short game, but conservation is a long game. 

Link to Article: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/race-coronavirus-vaccine-runs-horseshoe-crab-blood-180975048/

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Horseshoe crabs are amazing to see along the beaches from Maine to Florida. We often see them in the touch tanks at public aquariums. They are cool looking with their armored shell and prehistoric look. In fact, they are prehistoric. They have been around for 450 million years with little change in their looks. 

Humans have found an important use for them as well and that alone fuels the need to protect these prehistoric species. 

Listen to the episode to find out why. 

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