Horseshoe crabs are considered “living fossils”, as they have remained relatively unevolved for at least 445 million years. However, the world is changing at an unprecedented rate, leaving this prehistoric relic near threatened and on the verge of extinction.
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00:00this is a horseshoe crab a creature which is considered a living fossil as it's remained
00:08relatively unevolved for at least 445 million years for anyone doing the math that's before
00:15the dinosaurs even existed however the world is changing at an unprecedented rate leaving
00:20this prehistoric relic near threatened and on the verge of extinction which is why researchers in
00:25hong kong are now doing this attaching tracking systems to juvenile horseshoe crabs all in the
00:30hopes of stopping their disappearance the researchers say their lifestyle behaviors are
00:35relatively poorly understood but these trackers should give conservationists a better understanding
00:39of the creatures from infancy to adulthood adding that by tracking their environment throughout
00:44their entire life they hope to uncover previously unknown aspects of their ecology this includes
00:49their habits and behavioral patterns as well as the effects of the seasons and other environmental
00:54factors on their life cycle as global warming continues conservationists warn that the
00:58horseshoe crabs habitats could disappear as beaches where they spend much of their time could end up
01:03underwater experts estimate there are only around 10 000 of these ancient crabs still scurrying around
01:09our planet's oceans