Ecological Research & Development Group Inc. (ERDG)

Ecological Research & Development Group Inc. (ERDG) In the absence of human interference, horseshoe crabs have successfully evolved for over 450 million years.

ERDG has made a commitment to protect this remarkable mariner who plays a vital role in nature's delicately balanced food web. Dedicated to the conservation of the world's four horseshoe crab species.

The American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is competing in the Indianapolis Zoo’s Uproar Conservation Challenge, a...
03/16/2026

The American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is competing in the Indianapolis Zoo’s Uproar Conservation Challenge, and you can help.

From March 16–19, the public can vote to help this remarkable species advance through the competition. The winning species will receive $10,000 to support conservation efforts.

Horseshoe crabs have survived on Earth for over 450 million years, quietly playing an essential role in coastal ecosystems.

With your help, they can advance to the next round.

🗳 Cast your vote here:
https://UproarChallenge.com

Please share and help raise awareness for these extraordinary animals.

02/20/2026

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has issued its 90-day finding declining to list the Atlantic horseshoe crab under the Endangered Species Act.

ERDG did not support the petition to list the species, as we believed the science did not warrant it at this time.

However, the work continues. Horseshoe crabs still face habitat loss and harvest pressures, and science-based management remains essential.

Conservation is an ongoing responsibility — not a single regulatory outcome.

Read the Federal Register notice here:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/02/18/2026-03198/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-90-day-finding-on-petitions-to-list-the-atlantic-horseshoe-crab

06/20/2025

In celebration of International Horseshoe Crab Day — June 20th

“Not for their blood, nor measured worth—But for their place upon this Earth.”

This short 2-minute video pairs an original song “Tidewalker” with the stunning photography of Ariane Mueller in quiet tribute to their enduring presence.

—Glenn Gauvry, Founder, ERDG

06/15/2025

June 20 is International Horseshoe Crab Day — and we're celebrating all day at the DuPont Nature Center!

We’ll be talking about horseshoe crabs all day (what else is new?), but we’ve also planned three special horseshoe crab-themed programs. Join us for one, two or all three!

Please note: Pre-registration is required for all programs.

📌10 a.m. Horseshoe Crab Sing-Along
Em McKeever— local musician and creator of “The Horseshoe Crab Song”— will be joining us to lead a workshop in creating our own songs about horseshoe crabs or other wildlife. Brainstorm some lyrics, craft a beat, and sing your heart out!

📌1 p.m. Horseshoe Crab Jeopardy
Put your horseshoe crab smarts to the test in this special edition of Jeopardy-style trivia! Participants will play in teams — register with a team or join one when you arrive. Prizes are up for grabs, so bring your horseshoe crab fun facts and your competitive spirit!

📌3 p.m. Seining the Delaware Bay
Join us at Slaughter Beach for seining fun with horseshoe crabs and their bay-dwelling friends! All experience levels are welcome as we explore what’s swimming, crawling and scurrying in the shallows. Participants must wear closed-toe shoes and should dress in clothes they don’t mind getting wet.

To register for our International Horseshoe Crab Day programs or for more information, please call the Nature Center at (302) 422-1329 or email [email protected].

Earlier this week, I had the honor of speaking at the 2025 Lonza Endotoxin Test Summit in Annapolis, Maryland, where I s...
06/12/2025

Earlier this week, I had the honor of speaking at the 2025 Lonza Endotoxin Test Summit in Annapolis, Maryland, where I shared ERDG’s vision for sustainable horseshoe crab conservation.

The following day, I met summit attendees at Pickering Beach, Delaware—one of the most productive spawning grounds for horseshoe crabs in the world. Together, we observed these ancient beings in the midst of their annual spawning ritual and lent a hand to those left stranded, returning them gently to the sea.

A simple act of compassion, echoing the purpose of our Just flip ’em!™ program and reminding us that even the smallest gesture can make a meaningful difference.

🌊 Watch our Just flip ’em!™ video and theme song:
https://horseshoecrab.org/media/videos/Just-flip-em-Music-Video.mov

Sometimes, the smallest gesture can make the biggest difference.Each year, tens of thousands of horseshoe crabs die from...
06/08/2025

Sometimes, the smallest gesture can make the biggest difference.

Each year, tens of thousands of horseshoe crabs die from stranding—stuck upside down during their ancient spawning ritual.

Our Just flip ’em!™ program was created to bring awareness to this preventable loss and inspire people to take part in a simple, compassionate act: If you see a horseshoe crab stranded on the beach, gently flip them over—by the edge of their shell, never by the tail.

They don’t bite, sting, or harm.
But your kindness might just save a life.

A simple act. A meaningful exchange.

🎵 Watch the one-minute Just flip ’em!™ video and hear our original theme song. https://horseshoecrab.org/media/videos/Just-flip-em-Music-Video.mov

We’re now on X (formerly Twitter)!
Follow to stay connected with our conservation efforts.

06/06/2025

Pickering Beach, Delaware is one of the most productive horseshoe crab spawning beaches in the world.
Last night, its shoreline pulsed with life as thousands of these ancient beings emerged with the high tide to spawn.

But this abundance is increasingly rare.
If we hope to witness scenes like this across the spawning range of all four horseshoe crab species—and truly value this life form—we must balance human activity with reverence:
By protecting critical habitat and ending unsustainable harvest practices.

Let this moment be a reminder of what’s still possible—
and of what’s at stake if we fail to act.

Glenn Gauvry to Speak at Lonza’s 2025 Endotoxin Testing SummitOn June 10th in Annapolis, Maryland, Glenn Gauvry—founder ...
06/02/2025

Glenn Gauvry to Speak at Lonza’s 2025 Endotoxin Testing Summit
On June 10th in Annapolis, Maryland, Glenn Gauvry—founder and president of the Ecological Research & Development Group (ERDG)—will present:

“Horseshoe Crab Conservation Reimagined: The Path of Balance and Harmony”
The talk will explore how we can protect these ancient mariners while supporting innovation in biomedical testing—offering a vision rooted in coexistence, compassion, and sustainability.

This journey reflects ERDG’s approach to conservation: ethical, neutral, practical, and global.

The following day, June 11th, Glenn will lead a field trip to Pickering Beach, Delaware, where participants will witness horseshoe crab spawning and assist in ERDG’s Just flip ’em!™ initiative—helping stranded crabs safely return to the sea.

Full summit agenda:https://go2.lonza.com/rs/552-NMO-481/images/Agenda_Americas_14APR2025_FINAL.pdf

05/30/2025

Marked by time and tide, they may be old and worn — but their purpose is timeless.

This short clip captures a female horseshoe crab, with her seasonal partner in tow, returning to the Delaware Bay after spawning on Pickering Beach, Delaware. The barnacles and encrustations on their shells reveal the age and resilience of these ancient mariners.

Shared as part of ERDG’s Just flip ’em!™ and Backyard Stewardship™ Community Horseshoe Crab Sanctuary programs, moments like this remind us of the deep continuity of life — and the simple acts of awareness and reverence that can help preserve it.

Address

190 Main Street
Little Creek, DE
19901

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Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

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+13022365383

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