JUNE 20 – HORSESHOE ‘CRAB & TAG’ FUN AT SHORT BEACH!
- lordshipia
- 2 hours ago
- 1 min read
What creatures have 10 eyes scattered all over their bodies, have been roaming the oceans since dinosaur days, and might even be eyeing you today as they crawl around Lordship beaches?
Right! The horseshoe crab.
Fun fact: They’re actually arthropods – more akin to spiders and scorpions than true cabs. And their bright blue blood is vital to the medical industry. Let’s learn more …
Saturday, June 20 is “International Horseshoe Crab Day,” when Stratford’s Conservation Commission will host an educational “Horseshoe Crab & Tag” event at Short Beach in Lordship, starting at 2 p.m. Meet at the snack bar.
Families are welcome, but the Commission notes that dogs are prohibited on both Short Beach and Long Beach.
The Commission also shares what to expect at the event and how to help:
Hands-on Learning: Volunteers get up close and personal with horseshoe crabs, learning about their biology and helping to measure them.
Tagging: Following training from local experts, participants help attach tags to the crabs' shells so scientists can monitor migration patterns and estimate population sizes.
Preparation: It is highly recommended to wear clothes and shoes you don't mind getting wet, and bringing bug spray and a headlamp or flashlight is advised.
Reporting a Tagged Crab: If you spot a tagged horseshoe crab on the beach during the year, do not pick them up by their tails or remove the tag. Instead, you can report your sightings to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Horseshoe Crab Tagging Program to contribute to conservation data.
For more about the town of Stratford’s Conservation Commission, visit www.stratfordct.gov/page/conservation-commission.
See you at the beach!
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