Horseshoe Crab Moon

This documentary film follows biologists Larry Niles & Amanda Dey and their team of dedicated researchers & volunteers as they study the decline of the Horseshoe crab along the Delaware Bay area and its relationship to the precipitous population crash of the Red Knot, a globe-trotting sandpiper whose numbers have dropped nearly 80% in the last 20 years. Through a combination of meticulous cataloging of crab egg numbers & the physical health of various shorebirds of interest and careful monitoring of migratory flight paths, these scientists are crafting a body of scientific data that can be used to influence state & federal policies related to the conservation of coastal wetlands and bays from crab overharvesting and commercial development. An inspiring story of the scientist and field biologist's successful efforts to connect an ancient ecosystem with the interconnected relationship of the moon, tides, Horseshoe crabs and sandpipers.

Director: Mitchell Smith