![Time comes for us all. [OC]](https://pixelfed.crimedad.work/storage/m/_v2/583754591554580481/3781ba7d4-1bb9dc/5J6LRYMtwpUk/RE20tDbo4OFmwd3gvpHmTVmuHnRu681ZOUP98LHt.jpg){kind=link}
UPDATE: https://pixelfed.crimedad.work/p/crimedad/717794020275353272
cross-posted from: https://pixelfed.crimedad.work/p/crimedad/715310569850044948
Time comes for us all.
We found this dead horseshoe crab on the beach today. It had a numbered tag on its shell apparently put there by The Maryland Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office. I’ve seen many horseshoe crabs here over the years, but never one with a tag. I made sure to go to the website and log it.
I didn’t know that they lived that long.
That’s how long the species has existed. They live ~25 years.
Only the lucky ones
Especially now that they’re harvesting them for blood.
It’s an important ingredient for the safety of injectable drugs and the crabs are returned to the sea alive. If a synthetic alternative takes off, I am concerned that the government will not care as much about protecting this species.