In order to propagate awareness about the need of conserving horseshoe crab, a living fossil, a group of people from  different walks of life having concern for environment, observed  Raksha Bandhan in a unique manner. They celebrated the day by tying rakhi  to the crabs.

Head of the Department Bio- science and Bio –technology of Fakir Mohan University Professor Bishnu Prasad Dash, senior research fellow at Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Fakir Mohan University Siddhartha Pati, environment activist Subrat Nayak , artist Kesu Das, representative  of trawlers’  association Bramhanath Rath , Ajay Biswal  and members of several other associations assembled near Bahabalpur sea coast and tied Rakhi to the horseshoe crabs carrying precious blue blood.

The group of intellectuals, besides deliberating on the valuable marine creatures, also spoke about their role in maintaining the marine ecosystem.

“In order to enhance awareness about the creature, while we have been conducting various programmes in the schools , colleges  and beaches this year on the day of   Raksha Bandhan, Rakhis were tied to the horseshoe cabs  symbolically. It is only to give a message to the people at large that they were precious and need protection,” said Professor Dash.

“ For about two years, several seminars, workshops and arts competitions were  organized  and now Rakhi was tied to the crabs to give message for their protection as the species is fast dwindling,” said artist Das.

The rare species estimated to be at least 300 million years old, till few years back, were found in abundance along with Chandipur coast while nowadays only dead crabs are found in the coast.

Unrestricted trawlers and mechanized boats movement are causing their deaths and hindering their incoming to the base, the speakers observed.

Notably, the blood of the crabs help fight dreaded diseases.