A Celebration of International Horseshoe Crab Day
Fossil evidence confirms horseshoe crabs have been on earth for at least 445 million years, over 200 million years BEFORE dinosaurs! As a keystone species, horseshoe crabs play a crucial role in maintaining the health of coastal and marine ecosystems. Learn about the horseshoe crab’s amazing endurance, resilience, survival and their connection to Wompanoag life, commercial fisheries, human health, and space travel.
There will be horseshoe crab arts & crafts, fun hands-on interactive learning activities, a Museum scavenger hunt and sweet treats served by the Local Scoop ice cream truck. See live horseshoe crabs at various stages in their life cycles as eggs, juveniles, and adults. Also, there will be two horseshoe crab feedings at 11am & 1:30pm during which you will hear about the Museum’s nine-year horseshoe crab head start program.
The State of Horseshoe Crabs 2:30pm
Derek Perry, Massachusetts State Horseshoe Crab Biologist, will be discussing how the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries monitors the abundance of horseshoe crabs, along with the state of our horseshoe crab fisheries. Learn when and where to see large numbers of spawning horseshoe crabs, how you can contribute to data collection, and how you can get involved in horseshoe crab management decisions.