During the months of May and June, adult horseshoe crabs travel up towards the shoreline to spawn. This is typically in conjunction with the spring tide, the highest tide of the month. Various shorebirds, turtles, and fish feed off of horseshoe crab eggs. Horseshoe crabs themselves are used for bait by commercial fishers and in the past have been over-harvested leading to a plunge in populations. This alongside habitat destruction have been major factors in their decline.
Each summer Seatuck conducts the NYSDEC survey at Captree State Park to monitor our local populations of horseshoe crabs. The information collected is crucial in protecting these populations. To learn more about how you can join the effort, visit our horseshoe crab citizen science page