Odisha’s horseshoe crab population could disappear within the next eight to ten years unless urgent conservation measures are taken to protect its breeding habitats, former CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO) scientist Dr Anil Chatterji has warned.
In a note released ahead of International Horseshoe Crab Day on June 20, Chatterji reflected on nearly four decades of pioneering research that established Odisha as India’s foremost centre for horseshoe crab studies while cautioning that the ancient marine species now faces an uncertain future due to habitat degradation and human activities.
Chatterji said systematic horseshoe crab research in India began in 1986 after a pharmaceutical company sought information on the species’ availability along the Indian coast. After months of unsuccessful surveys, his team made a breakthrough on June 20, 1987, when it discovered a large breeding aggregation at Balramgari near Chandipur in Balasore district with the help of local fishermen. The finding marked the beginning of organised horseshoe crab research in the country.
Subsequent studies revealed that the species’ spawning is closely synchronised with tidal height and lunar cycles, providing important insights into its breeding behaviour and habitat requirements. Supported initially by Unichem Laboratories and later by the Department of Ocean Development, the research expanded to include migration, nesting ecology, habitat conservation and biomedical applications.
Among the programme’s significant achievements was the development of a patented technique to extract horseshoe crab blood without harming the animal. The research demonstrated India’s capability to produce amoebocyte lysate, a highly sensitive reagent used worldwide to detect bacterial endotoxins in vaccines, injectable drugs and medical devices.
Chatterji also credited the late Chief Minister Biju Patnaik for extending crucial support to horseshoe crab research in Odisha, leading to projects on artificial breeding, larval rearing and habitat conservation.
Chatterji also lauded the endeavour of late Chitta Behera in the study and conservation of horseshoe crabs.
“With his (late Behera) active cooperation, my team was able to visit several remote coastal areas of Odisha where horseshoe crabs were found in abundance”, Chatterji reminisced.
However, he said long-term studies conducted between 1988 and 2006 recorded an estimated 73 per cent decline in horseshoe crab populations along the Odisha coast. Habitat destruction, coastal development, pollution, beach modification and accidental capture in fishing nets have emerged as the principal threats.
“If the present trend continues, Odisha could lose its horseshoe crab population within the next eight to ten years,” Chatterji cautioned.
Describing horseshoe crabs as “living fossils” that have survived for more than 450 million years, he stressed that their ecological and biomedical significance makes their conservation imperative. At the same time, he argued that conservation strategies must also safeguard the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities.
Instead of blanket fishing bans, Chatterji sought community-based conservation, protection of breeding habitats, public awareness and long-term scientific monitoring. He urged the Odisha government, research institutions and young scientists to build on the state’s pioneering legacy and ensure the survival of one of the world’s oldest surviving marine species.