VOA科学技术2024--Groups Seek US Endangered Protection for Horseshoe Crabs

Groups Seek US Endangered Protection for Horseshoe Crabs²

　　A group of environmental organizations is seeking an official declaration that American horseshoe crabs are endangered.

　　The groups have requested the declaration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric³ Administration (NOAA). The U.S. agency administers the Endangered Species Act, which was established in 1973.

　　The American horseshoe crab¹ – known as a "living fossil" – is one of the oldest living creatures on Earth. It is believed to date back at least 450 million years. Scientists do not actually consider horseshoes true crabs. This is because they are more closely related to spiders and scorpions⁴ than to other sea creatures.

　　If NOAA approves the endangered declaration, it would generally make it unlawful for people to harm or kill a horseshoe crab without an official permit to do so.

　　Research suggests horseshoe crab populations in the U.S. have decreased sharply over the past 30 years. For example, growth numbers for the animals are down two-thirds from 1990 in an area of the Delaware Bay. Environmental groups say this body of water in the northeastern state of Delaware once held the largest population of horseshoe crabs.

　　Research also shows that egg densities⁵ for the animals have fallen more than 80 percent over the past 40 years. The reproduction drops are linked to environmental changes causing other sea creatures to eat their larvae⁶ and eggs, researchers say.

　　A collection of 23 environmental groups have joined to seek the endangered declaration. The request, or petition, also seeks the establishment of a "critical habitat" for horseshoe crabs to be protected.

　　The request names numerous threats to the animals – all of which are blamed on human activities. These include harvesting the crabs to be used for bait, use in biomedical activities, habitat loss and climate change.

　　A spokesperson for NOAA confirmed to Reuters news service the agency was examining the groups' petition, but did not comment further.

　　Will Harlan is a senior scientist at the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity. He told Reuters, "We're wiping out one of the world's oldest and toughest creatures." His group is one of those seeking the endangered declaration.

　　Drug manufacturers harvest horseshoe crabs in large numbers for their blue-colored blood. The blood is used to test and develop drugs and medical devices. The petition states that in 2022, nearly 1 million of the animals were used for medical purposes.

　　Current law permits the biomedical industry to capture small amounts of horseshoe crab blood before releasing the animals alive to areas where they were collected.

　　However, NOAA says between 10 to 15 percent of harvested animals die during this process. Harlan said non-industry research suggests this rate is even higher. Those estimates show that 30 percent of horseshoe crabs captured for blood collection die in the process.

　　Harlan noted⁷ that while synthetic⁸ blood versions are widely used in Europe, American companies have been slow to use them.

　　The petition says the other main cause of population drops is overharvesting of horseshoe crabs for commercial fisheries. Environmental activists⁹ say this is likely to continue, with no sign of recovery even after harvesting limits were established.

　　Words in This Story

　　fossil – n. something (such as a leaf, skeleton, or footprint) from a plant or animal that lived in ancient times and that you can see in old rocks

　　larvae – n. the form of some creatures, such as insects, before they develop into a different form

　　habitat – n. the natural environment for plants or animals

　　bait – n. food that is used to try to attract fish or animals in order to catch them

　　wipe out – v. to destroy

　　synthetic – adj. a group of products made from artificial substances, often copying a natural product from ancient times

　　commercial – adj. related to buying and selling things

1 crab   

n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气

参考例句：

• I can't remember when I last had crab.我不记得上次吃蟹是什么时候了。
• The skin on my face felt as hard as a crab's back.我脸上的皮仿佛僵硬了，就象螃蟹的壳似的。

2 crabs   

n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• As we walked along the seashore we saw lots of tiny crabs. 我们在海岸上散步时看到很多小蟹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The fish and crabs scavenge for decaying tissue. 鱼和蟹搜寻腐烂的组织为食。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

4 scorpions   

n.蝎子( scorpion的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You promise me that Black Scorpions will never come back to Lanzhou. 你保证黑蝎子永远不再踏上兰州的土地。 来自电影对白
• You Scorpions are rather secretive about your likes and dislikes. 天蝎：蝎子是如此的神秘，你的喜好很难被别人洞悉。 来自互联网

5 densities   

密集( density的名词复数 )； 稠密； 密度（固体、液体或气体单位体积的质量）； 密度（磁盘存贮数据的可用空间）

参考例句：

• The range of densities of interest is about 3.5. 有用的密度范围为3．5左右。
• Densities presumably can be probed by radar. 利用雷达也许还能探测出气体的密度。

6 larvae   

n.幼虫

参考例句：

• Larvae are parasitic on sheep.幼虫寄生在绵羊的身上。
• The larvae prey upon small aphids.这种幼虫以小蚜虫为食。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 synthetic   

adj.合成的，人工的；综合的；n.人工制品

参考例句：

• We felt the salesman's synthetic friendliness.我们感觉到那位销售员的虚情假意。
• It's a synthetic diamond.这是人造钻石。

9 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》