JACKSONVILLE,Fla – Groups of horseshoe crabs are coming onto our beaches and they can save your life.
These amazing prehistoric creatures have a special chemical in their blue blood that helps keep humans healthy.
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Anyone who has had an injection, vaccination, or surgery has benefited from the crabs chemical compounds that coagulates in the presence of small amounts of bacterial toxins.
They are extremely important to the biomedical industry.
Biologists at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute want your help documenting nesting sites of horseshoe crabs throughout the state. If you spot one, it's helpful to report a sighting through the Report Sightings page.
They come ashore year-round in Florida, but peak in the spring and fall to spawn.
Never pick up a horseshoe crab by its tail, as it can harm the animal. Instead, gently pick it up by both sides of the prosoma using both hands.
If you spot a smaller male crab on top of the larger female’s shell they are mating.
Horseshoe crabs are actually not true crabs at all They are more closely related to spiders and scorpions than to crustaceans like crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.