Ancient Migrations: Horse Shoe Crabs
Field Notes:
For many years I’ve been attempting to create an image
of the horseshoe crabs ancient migration, a mating ritual that
predates dinosaurs. Closely related to the spider family,
these crabs crawl out of the frigid waters of the Delaware Bay
and onto New Jersey beaches once a year to lay their eggs. This
event only happens at a very specific location on the planet,
at a very specific time. Anticipating the correct moon
cycle, high tides, time of sunrise, and cooperative weather,
are important elements in making this photo-op possible. The
challenges of combining intriguing light, movement, and a sense
of rhythm and pattern have led to many failed attempts in the
past.
Many shorebirds depend on the horseshoe crab eggs to refuel
for their own migratory journey, in particular the Red Knot,
which time their 12,000 mile one way journey in accord with the
horseshoe crabs mating. This endangered species fly
from the southern tip of South America to the high Arctic, stopping
only along the Delaware Bay to gorge themselves on the tiny pinhead
sized eggs laid by the crabs. This circumnavigation of
the globe is only possible by the food source provided by the
billions of eggs laid by the horseshoe crabs.
Each year, millions of crabs are harvested and used as fertilizer,
or as bait for the commercial conch fishing trade. Critically
linked, the Red Knot population has recently crashed from decades
of over harvesting the horseshoe crabs. The number of crabs
breeding in New Jersey has plummeted by 90 percent since 1990. It
is only thanks to a few visionary conservationists that have
dedicated their careers and lives in protecting this species,
that certain beaches are now protected. And maybe with
time, the crab population can rebound (it takes 9 years for a
horseshoe crab to reach maturity), so that future generations
can enjoy such an authentic natural history experience.
My hope is to bring attention to the horseshoe crab’s
fate, and the dependent species that will parish, if the crabs
become extinct. These crabs do not have the warm and fuzzy
reaction that other endangered species enjoy, and I felt it important
to create a beauty-image of an equally important animal in peril.
Virtually unchanged for eons, and struggling to survive under
the shadow of ever encroaching development and pillaging of our
natural resources, it is impressive that this prehistoric
creature still manages to survive.
It’s quite a sensation to experience an ancient phenomenon
that predates dinosaurs, and each year, it is a joy to witness
such an event first hand. During the photo session, the
crabs are in constant motion, climbing over each other, jockeying
for position, bumping into my tripod and tickling my toes as
they crawl over my feet. I am blessed. Shortly after
making this photo, the sun makes its predictable appearance on
the horizon and as the tide recedes, the crabs disappear back
into the water, not to seen for another year.
The photo was made using a Canon EOS 5D and 17mm lens |
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