Bangladesh authorities recovered 63 protected horseshoe crabs in Chattogram after suspected illegal blue blood extraction. Fifty-eight were dead, while five survivors were released into the sea following the operation.
Bangladeshi wildlife authorities have recovered 63 rare horseshoe crabs in Bangladesh’s port city of Chattogram following allegations of “blue blood piracy” involving the extraction of the animals’ distinctive blue blood for the production of pain relief medicine. Fifty-eight of the protected marine creatures were found dead while the remaining five were released into the sea, officials said.
The horseshoe crabs were recovered on Thursday afternoon from beneath a pedestrian overpass near Sholoshahar Railway Station after volunteers from the environmental conservation organisation Save the Nature spotted the suspected activity and alerted the Wildlife and Nature Conservation Division and the district administration.
Officials later arrived at the scene and recovered all 63 horseshoe crabs.
Wildlife conservationists said horseshoe crabs are an important part of marine biodiversity and warned that indiscriminate harvesting and blood extraction could pose a serious threat to the survival of the protected species. They stressed that stronger enforcement of wildlife protection laws and greater public awareness are essential to safeguard the animals.
Jasim Uddin Chowdhury, president of Save the Nature’s Chattogram metropolitan branch, General Secretary Mustakim Mahmud and Organising Secretary Maruf Ul Islam said several individuals had been displaying the horseshoe crabs while extracting their blood and selling medicine produced from it. Finding the activity suspicious, they immediately informed the authorities.
Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Officer Dipanwita Bhattacharya said two people detained during the operation told investigators they had collected the horseshoe crabs from different coastal areas of Chattogram. According to her, they admitted that the animals’ blue blood had been extracted for use in producing medicine.
She said horseshoe crabs are listed as protected wildlife under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, making it illegal to capture, possess, transport or display the species.
However, Bhattacharya said no executive magistrate was present during the operation and the two suspects claimed they were unaware of the law. As a result, they were released after signing written undertakings in the presence of police. She added that the offence remains cognisable under the law.
The five surviving horseshoe crabs were later released into the sea at Patenga Beach in Chattogram. The remaining 58 dead animals will be buried in an environmentally responsible manner, officials said.
This post is republished from The Business Standard.
