Horseshoe crabs are true blue bloods – their blood is copper-based, which gives it a blue sheen. Conserve Wildlife Foundation has been a partner in the reTURN the Favor (RTF) program since its establishment in 2013. Many of these crabs die by becoming overturned by wave action, or upon being caught in natural or manmade structures such as jetties or old housing structures. This species is found in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic coast of North America. The reTURN the Favor program works to make the beaches of New Jersey safer for the thousands of horseshoe crabs that spawn annually between May and July on the Delaware Bayshore. Stone Harbor, NJ (April 22, 2019) – The Wetlands Institute (TWI) and Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind (Ørsted) are pleased to announce a partnership to execute this year’s “ReTURN the Favor NJ” project, an annual campaign that is implemented by TWI and partnership organizations to support recovery of the state’s horseshoe crab population. You can help rescue horseshoe crabs in New Jersey through our reTURN the Favor program, keeping horseshoe crabs and shorebirds in the Delaware Bay for many years to come. And now many of these shorebird populations – including Red Knots, Ruddy Turnstones, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Dunlins – are also struggling. Conserve Wildlife Foundation has been a partner in the reTURN the Favor (RTF) program since its establishment in 2013. Unusually high tides had an impact on the annual spawning of Horseshoe Crabs along the Delaware Bay this spring. Return the Favor NJ. Join The Wetlands Institute on a public walk to help save these stranded horseshoe crabs on a local beach. The reTURN The Favor program has rescued 500,000 horseshoe crabs since 2013 on New Jersey’s Bay shoreline during May and June spawning. This multi-partner program organizes a large group of trained and dedicated volunteers who collectively spend thousands of hours covering miles of Delaware Bay beaches to rescue stranded horseshoe crabs. The Issue: While coming ashore many of these harmless animals accidentally become overturned by waves, or become trapped in jetties or behind bulkheads. Despite their name, horseshoe crabs are more closely related to spiders, ticks, and scorpions than to crabs. Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds need your help!!!

Over the last seven years, volunteers have contributed 11,802 hours on over 3,300 walks, rescuing 505,629 horseshoe crabs on 22 beaches in … 704 likes. Which means we have half a million reasons to keep this program going strong! The program has grown exponentially in all aspects, from the number of hours volunteered and walks led to the number of horseshoe crabs rescued. In the presence of gram-negative bacteria, the blood gels. The reTURN the Favor program works to make the beaches of New Jersey safer for the thousands of horseshoe crabs that spawn annually between May and July on the Delaware Bayshore. Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey has been doing their part for bird conservation. New Jersey Audubon is once again taking part in the ReTURN the Favor partnership to rescue overturned and obstructed Horseshoe Crabs along the Delaware Bay, and in doing so, help the migrating shorebirds that rely on the crab eggs to successfully reach their breeding destinations in the Arctic. And just as important, as volunteers learn more, they become ambassadors for the horseshoe crabs and shorebirds.

As the horseshoe crab population struggles, the shorebirds are unable to fatten on crab eggs to continue to the Arctic. Since its inception in 2013, reTURN the Favor volunteers have saved over half a million horseshoe crabs! The Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus), also known as the American horseshoe crab, is a species of marine and brackish chelicerate arthropod. That prevents the bacteria from entering their blood stream. People realized that they could use horseshoe crab blood as an easy test for the presence of bacteria. Help save overturned or stranded horseshoe crabs reTURN the Favor is one of those opportunities, with local communities and visitors taking action to reduce one source of mortality for horseshoe crabs—strandings. During the seven years of the program, reTURN the Favor has grown exponentially with great success meeting two of its key goals: rescuing stranded horseshoe crabs and building a constituency of people taking action for shorebirds and horseshoe crabs.