Abigail Costigan, Master’s student at SoMAS studying Marine Conservation and Policy, will describe the natural history of horseshoe crabs, how they come to the shoreline to spawn in large numbers, and why their eggs are such an important food source to migratory shorebirds, some of which are endangered. She will also talk about the state of horseshoe crabs in NY-state and the East coast in general, explaining how populations are affected by hardened shorelines, habitat loss, and collection for the bait industry and the biomedical industry.
This lecture is FREE with Lighthouse admission.