Nature Watch Magazine

The author gives an insight into the current status of the horseshoe crabs in their mud flat habitat in Singapore and highlights the role of Nature Society (Singapore) volunteers in saving these unique and endangered creatures whose numbers have been declining due to various anthropological factors. She explains how the conservation and rescue work with horseshoe crabs was initiated after they were spotted entangled in fishing nets at Mandai mudflats, the largest remaining mud flats in Singapore and also tells how the rescue mission evolved into The Horseshoe Crab Research and Rescue Project to learn more about these fantastic creatures. The article talks about various aspects of the horseshoe crab ranging from its structure and life cycle to its global distribution, abundance and conservation status. It tells us that habitat loss resulting from land reclamation has affected the population of both mangrove and coastal horseshoe crabs that once thrived on Singapore shores. Concluding the article, the author stresses on the need to save the remaining local populations of the horseshoe crab and its habitat as a step to prevent global extinction of the species.