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Horseshoe crabs are bled by the thousands for medical tests every year. Some fear an escalation due to COVID-19.

More than 750,000 horseshoe crabs are used annually for biomedical bleeding, says a group that fears that will get much worse as countries ramp up for a coronavirus vaccine.

Spawning horseshoe crabs in Middle Township. The decline in horseshoe crab populations spells trouble for red knots, which feed on the crab eggs. Now, scientists fear a further reduction in horseshoe crabs because their blood is valued in the biomedical testing necessary for COVID-19 vaccines.
Spawning horseshoe crabs in Middle Township. The decline in horseshoe crab populations spells trouble for red knots, which feed on the crab eggs. Now, scientists fear a further reduction in horseshoe crabs because their blood is valued in the biomedical testing necessary for COVID-19 vaccines.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer