Every spring two huge animal migrations congregate on the shores of Delaware Bay for different purposes. Millions of horseshoe crabs arrive to spawn and lay their eggs in the warming beach sand. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of migratory shorebirds on their way to the Arctic stop long enough to gorge themselves on the crab eggs.

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Today this gathering of millions of animals is considered one of the top ten environmental phenomena on the planet.

 

For this reason, researchers from around the world come to study these animals and monitor their populations. The crabs and birds also attract local residents and the general public, who recognize the value of these species and express their concern in a variety of ways.

 

This program profiles the ecology of the horseshoe crab/shorebird phenomenon, the work of the researchers, and the public's interaction with this world-class gathering.

 

This program was funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Fair Play Foundation, and the Delmarva Ornithological Society.