How are the horseshoe crabs collected? Are they harmed?
In shallow water, horseshoe crabs are collected by hand from a small boat using a clam rake, and the animals are not injured during this process. In deeper water, a dredge is used, and in this case, some horseshoe crabs do get injured. Injured crabs are released immediately and most will survive. It is quite common to find crabs with “scars” of old injuries that have healed. Once the crabs are caught, they are transported to the laboratory from the fishing pier by truck. Sometimes a refrigerated truck is used, but as long as the animals are kept cool and dark during transport, they exhibit no adverse affects. During the bleeding process, up to 30% of the animal’s blood is removed. Research has shown that once returned to the water, the horseshoe crab’s blood volume rebounds in about a week. It takes longer for the crab’s blood cell count to return to normal, about two to three months. Theoretically, crabs can be bled several times a year, but LAL manufacturers bleed them only once per
