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Thousands of crabs wash up on Maryland shores after ‘blue blood’ harvested, suit says

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Thousands of crabs wash up on Maryland shores after ‘blue blood’ harvested, suit says


Thousands of dead horseshoe crabs are washing up on Maryland shores after having their “blue blood” harvested, according to a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity.

The suit, filed Wednesday, accuses the Maryland Department of Natural Resources of failing to release information detailing exactly how thousands of horseshoe crabs are killed, bled or injured by pharmaceutical companies and fishermen annually.

The process the Department uses to determine when crabs can be harmed is “shrouded in secrecy,” the Center for Biological Diversity claims, adding that this means that they and other parties “can’t meaningfully participate in protecting the imperiled animals,” which are threatened with extinction.

According to the lawsuit, horseshoe crabs are in need of protection because biomedical companies harvest and drain their blue blood, which is then used to detect toxins in drugs and medical devices – a practice that was vital in the production of Covid-19 vaccines.

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Lawsuit data shows that horseshoe crab blood harvests have virtually doubled since 2017, with nearly one million horseshoe crabs harvested for their blood in Maryland in 2022.

An ecologist displays the underside of a horseshoe crab at Pickering Beach in Dover, Delaware
An ecologist displays the underside of a horseshoe crab at Pickering Beach in Dover, Delaware (AP)

The lawsuit says that while synthetic alternatives to horseshoe crab blood tests are already being used in Europe, companies in the United States have been slow to adopt the alternatives.

“It’s outrageous that a shared treasure like horseshoe crabs can be killed and injured at such high levels and that details of these slaughters are then hidden from the public. We’re wiping out one of the world’s oldest and toughest creatures through indifference and brutality,” said William Snape, an attorney representing the Center for Biological Diversity.

He added that data surrounding horseshoe crabs should be made “available to the interested public.”

“By shielding huge corporate interests from accountability, the Department of Natural Resources is severely harming the horseshoe crab, Maryland’s shared beaches and the residents of Maryland.”

In 2021, Ocean City, Maryland, experienced a significant die-off of horseshoe crabs, leading to thousands of the creatures clogging local canals. This event was exclusive to horseshoe crabs, with no other aquatic species involved or observed alongside them.

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Mass die-offs of horseshoe crabs were noted again in Ocean City in both 2022 and 2023. Additionally, a similar die-off occurred at Brigantine Beach, Maryland, in 2022.

Horseshoe crabs are distinctive brown arthropods, characterized by their armored bodies, ten eyes, and long, spiked tails. They pose no threat to humans. Each spring, these crabs participate in large spawning events along the Atlantic coast, laying their eggs on beaches.

Horseshoe crabs have a long history, dating back over 450 million years, making them nearly twice as old as the dinosaurs. However, in recent decades, their populations have significantly declined in all states, including Maryland. Recent years have seen several mass mortality events for horseshoe crabs along the Atlantic coast.



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Inseparable Maryland couple of 70 years died holding hands after tragic car crash: ‘They were simply quite the pair’

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Inseparable Maryland couple of 70 years died holding hands after tragic car crash: ‘They were simply quite the pair’


A beloved Maryland couple who were married for 70 years died holding hands in their hospital beds after being taken off life support following a horrifying car crash last week.

Kenneth and Marilyn Oland, high school sweethearts who wed in July 1955, died side-by-side Monday in a Baltimore hospital, six days after a car slammed into the side of their vehicle on Route 15 near their Thurmont home, according to their obituary and multiple reports.

Kenneth, 90, who was driving, and his 88-year-old wife were rushed to the hospital and placed on life support after suffering complications from the collision.

Kenneth and Marilyn Oland, high school sweethearts who wed in July 1955, died side-by-side Monday in a Baltimore hospital. Stauffer Funeral Home

“I don’t think one could’ve lasted without the other,” their heartbroken friend, Nancy Echard, told Fox 5.

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“That’s how tight they were. You always saw them together, no matter where you were.”

An employee at Thurmont Senior Center, where the couple were regulars who played bingo there twice a month, said they had just finished lunch and left about 15 minutes before the fatal crash.

Kenneth, 90, and Marilyn, 88, were taken off life support six days after a car slammed into the side of their vehicle. Thurmont Senior Center

The senior center posted a touching tribute to the late couple – parents of three, grandparents of five, and great-grandparents of six – hailing them as pillars of the community who were never seen without each other.

“To those of us here at the Senior Center, they were simply quite the pair,” Tuesday’s Facebook post said.

“You rarely saw one without the other, and that was no accident, they were two people who genuinely chose each other, every single day. In the end, even in their passing, they were not apart for long. They were a living reminder of what lasting love looks like, and we were blessed to witness it.”

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The loving pair, devout churchgoers, regularly brought flowers to friends in nursing homes and were known for deeply cherishing their friends and large family. Facebook

The loving pair, devout churchgoers, regularly brought flowers to friends in nursing homes and were known for deeply cherishing their friends and large family, always uniting everyone for holidays, birthdays, and celebrations, their obituary said.

Marilyn devoted 25 years to chiropractic care before retiring in 2023, and Kenneth spent his life working in marketing.

Grief-stricken family members were comforted that the elderly couple died together and hope their love and legacy will live on.

“If there’s one thing we could share about my grandparents, it’s not only the 70 years they’ve had together and that they chose to be together every day and chose to go away together and leave this earth together,” their granddaughter Kristie Hopkins told the outlet.

“Their legacy is just how to be humans – be humble and kind and graceful to others and help strangers in need.”

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Power restored to University of Maryland after campuswide outage

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Power restored to University of Maryland after campuswide outage


A campuswide power outage at the University of Maryland prompted crews to respond overnight, including dispatching staff to assist people stuck in elevators.

In an advisory, the university said Facilities Management staff were on site assessing the situation and that crews were being dispatched to individuals in elevators.

Just after 1:30 a.m, the university said power was in the process of being restored across campus and that most residence halls had power. The university said steam and hot water would continue to improve as full campus power restoration continued.

SEE ALSO | Iranians rally in DC for democracy and Iranian leadership back home

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Pepco said that around midnight, it began receiving calls about an outage impacting the university. Pepco crews responded and determined Pepco equipment was not the source of the outage.

As of publication, university officials have not responded to 7News’ request for a comment.



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Body pulled from river near Bladensburg Waterfront

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Body pulled from river near Bladensburg Waterfront


An investigation is underway after a body was spotted in the Anacostia River near the Bladensburg Waterfront in Maryland on Saturday.

The Prince George’s County Park Police confirmed on social media around 4:50 p.m. that officers responded to the area after reports of a dead person in the water.

Authorities said the investigation is in its early stages.

Officials have not released the identity of the person, and the cause of death has not yet been determined.

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This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.



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