This is the story of the fabric of life, and how every species is interconnected – each one important, no matter how big or small. At its center is the humble horseshoe crab, a creature which has remained virtually unchanged for 350 million years. Its annual spring spawning produces millions of eggs that are the lifeline for a tiny bird called the red knot, which migrates 10,000 miles from South America to the Arctic each year. Scientific and medical communities have discovered that the crab also provides an indispensable testing agent for drugs and vaccines, as well as resources for human optics and burn treatment. But horseshoe crab numbers are plummeting from their new use as bait for the fishing industry, dropping by two-thirds or more since 1990. And the precious pyramid depending on this age-old creature is about to come crashing down. Filmed and presented on television in high definition. Buy the DVD. This film premiered February 2008.
My children and I learned about the plight of the Red Knots at the Philadelphia Zoo today in their new bird exhibit. I will be taking my children down to Cape May this weekend to see the activity of these birds and the horseshoe crabs as well. One can only hope that the short 2 year moratorium on using them for bait will be enough. It’s a shame that the moratorium isn’t long enough (8-10) years as it should be to get enough full grown adults out there spawning to help the horseshoe crabs and the red knots recover, hopefully, from going into extinction. How self centered are we that we’re worried about eels for sushi? Seriously? Thanks for sharing a more detailed story that helped my children to recognize how serious this is. You should contact the Philadelphia Zoo and have them link their movie at the bird house to your website and this program. I hope that we will all hear good news in the future of these birds and also the horseshoe crabs.
very moving and beautiful film. Thank you for making this. I learned about these birds through my job with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Nongame Conservation Section and quickly became fascinated by these small birds. This is a great resource to have to be able to point the public too. Beautiful footage, and the story was very well told. Wonderful. I can’t wait to share.
What harm and damage has the BP Oil Disaster due to Greed, Negligence and Government Corruption done to the breeding grounds of the Horseshoe Crabs in the wetlands of the Gulf Region and now perhaps Florida and even further North?
Is it too much to expect Ethical and Competent Government..?
You did a very well-made and comprehensive film about a subject most of us would know nothing about if not for you, Thank you for all you fine work of enlightening us about the grand connection that exists between these two seemingly unrelated creatures. It opened my eyes and the minds of many. Thank you.
Money and gold and oil are not more valuable than life. No one person or self described “superior group” is capable of making wise decisions in the vacuum of their own delusions of superiority. The idea of ownership is a perversion of the deluded. Our work in life is to shed our delusions of grandeur and recognize that compassionate connection to others is the most valuable experience we have while we are here.
this was one of the most moving shows i have ever watched EVER! this show will stay with me Forever……………. thanks for sharing this treasure
I love PBS!!!! So happy that when one is fed up with constant murder shows on TV there is a outstanding alternative! The video about the Red Knot birds and the Horseshoe crabs was enlightening, thought provoking, and educational. Congratulations to the teachers who have taken the video to the classroom and hope that more teachers do the same. Our future generation should be exposed to the earths problems from Grade school, Jr. High, High School to College. Rather than becoming negative about mankind and his role upon the changing planet, I can’t help but wonder if our Creator is placing a test before us. Doesn’t the Creator place challenges throughout our lives? The challenges generally teach us, make us improve, and ultimately make us realize our potentials. We are all connected in One Big Cycle of survival. May we embrace the challenges on our journey and learn to assist and love all that inhabit our home.
Sad to say but whenever wildlife has a cash value then wildlife suffers. People will see this video and want to save the horseshoe crab but those that profit from the crab will do all they can to keep stuffing money in their pockets at all costs. The lowly horseshoe crab, wasn’t bothered for millions of years until some greedy sucker finds a way to make money from them. The birds suffering illustrates the ripple effect that is obvious but we have no idea how many other species rely on the horseshoe crab too.
Thank you for this beautiful and moving film. Over the next few years I hope to hear the red knots and horseshoe crabs have recovered from this disaster, and I am inspired to give as much money as I can to conservation. I have been trying to reduce my own consumption and encourage others to do the same. Thank you PBS for bringing these stories to us.
We have just fılmed horseshoe crabs matıng ın broad daylıght ın Recompence Shore, Freeport, Maine:
http://vimeo.com/12781627
They were amazing!
Wow, the horseshoe crab and red knot, what amazing animals. What great work nature has done with it’s self. What “work” has man done on nature! When will man leave well enough alone? When will we realize that you just can’t “fool with mother nature?” Creation is something to think about. Destruction doesn’t seem to take an awful lot of thought. I think man better start doing some thinking when it comes to nature.
Keep up the good work PBS. Hopefully more people will start watching nature shows. And maybe learn a thing or two about what goes on around them. On the ground, right under their own feet. Or in our oceans. Where there is more life than there is on land. I bet not too many “pencil pushers” know that.
Thank you for your work PBS.
Thank you so much for this episode. I grew up on the Chesapeake beach and the horseshoe crab mating season was always one of my favorite times of the year. They always fascinated me as a kid, being so ancient yet so harmless. It’s great to see some light being shown on them and their current problems in terms of population. Also, I’d like to thank you for interviewing a farmer along with scientists. It just goes to show that not every human being that’s not an environmentalist is a heartless killer, the trappers are people too that are just trying to get by. I hope that study of the artificial bait is a great success for them, that way the horseshoe crabs can be left to breed and the trappers can still make a living. I’d hate to live in a world where my future children can’t walk on the beach and pet a horseshoe crab.
One of the story about the horseshoe crab that I wished was mention is when a Samurai warrior dies honorably in battle, he is reborn as a Horseshoe crab, a beautiful legend from Japan which shows how these ancient creatures are revered even across the coast.
You did a very well-made and comprehensive film about a subject most of us would know nothing about if not for you, Thank you for all you fine work of enlightening us about the grand connection that exists between these two seemingly unrelated creatures. It opened my eyes and the minds of many. Thank you.
Wow, I am blown away at this story and the impact one species decline has on another. I am a bird lover and have have dove the ocean for 14 years. My heart aches to think either of these species are at risk to disappear. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story. It sure opens my eyes to the footprint I am leaving on this earth.
Very interesting show, since this was recorded several years ago does anyone know about the current status of the Red knots? The very narrow niche the Red knot lives within throws some serious hardships at them. Nice work Nature.
Nice! You think they would really help the red knots?
Every day we hear about global warming, but we NEVER hear about overpopulation, which is the cause of global warming.
Why is that?
hi
Are new species coming to earth? I found some little tiny red bugs that don’t look like a lady bug, I had never seen a weird looking animal in my life, I need somebody to tell me what it is, I will send a picture of it on my website http://topsecret4us.webs.com
I feel as though both creatures/ species are special in their own type of way.
I never thought there could be animal who has lived for so long. It’s truely incredible!
Hearing about the population of both creatures decreasing is really hurtful.
I’m only 15 years old and I do believe that us people could really make a difference.
I hope they don’t go any where, because they are needed for many other things and diserve to live their live and feel free!! :)
As a life-long resident of southern New Jersey, birding enthusiast and amateur nature photographer I was deeply moved by this film. I learned about the symbiotic relationship between the Red Knot and the Horseshoe Crab only last year which gives testament to the dire need to expand public education regarding the natural world and man’s responsibility to preserve it. Living ten minutes from Delaware Bay, it a amazes me that I did not learn about our phenominal ecosystem much earlier in my life. In a few weeks, I look forward to seeing this interplay up close and personal on the Delaware Bay shore bolstering my personal commitment to New Jersey preservation and conservation. Thank you for this film and for all your good works.
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I photographed Red Knots on Sunset Beach, NC, on 4/27/12. There seemed to be a hundred. I assume they are migrating from South America and are heading to Maryland and Delaware for HSC spawning. Would you agree? I have six photos. I put two of them, reduced, and two tiny portions of them full-res, at the top of this webpage to enable a friend to verify my ID of them. I am not a birder but care about the Red Knot and am involved with the Horseshoe Crab. I thought the way the entire flock moved in synch with one another and with the waves was astonishing. The birds waved in and waved out just as the waves did. Here is the link: http://okeefes.org/Birds/Shorebirds/shorebirds.htm
Another amazing episode of Nature! I learned quite a bit watching this one–and have a new found respect for the horseshoe crab. I can remember when my son was pre-school age— I used to bring him to a local beach park near our home ( state of MA USA). At low tide, there were literally dozens-countless–horseshoe crabs. At that age, I forget what my son named them–he thought they were a small dinosaur! This episode really opened my eyes. I have always had a love and respect for all birds–and after seeing what the Red Knot is enduring–and efforts to help–this little bird left a lasting impression on me. BRAVO PBS–another winning episode.