A six-member team working for conservation of horseshoe crab would visit China to attend an international workshop scheduled to be held between June 15 and 20.
As many as 200 research scholars and nature lovers across 20 countries while would be participating in the seminar and workshop, multidimensional discussions and deliberations would be held pertaining to conservation and security of the rare crab.
Those attending from Baleswar include Dr Bishnuprasad Dash of Bio technology Department FM university ,Prof Sasmita Dash , Zoology department FM University, Gobinda Chandra Biswal, director, Association for Bio diversity Conservation and Research, Prof Sidharth Pati from Amity College , Bhubaneswar and artist Kesu Das.
According to the team members, scholars and researchers from various countries including USA, Japan, Malaysia besides India and other countries would be participating in the event.
They mentioned that worldwide while four types of horseshoe crab is found so far , two of them are found in Asiatic region. The rare species although were once , till a few years back, found in abundance near Chandipur and Bahabalpur and a research on them was initiated in early 90s by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO, Goa), the project was abandoned for unknown reason.
Horseshoe crabs have been used by people for centuries.
They are instrumental to scientific research that has contributed significantly to human health. A team led by Dr Anil Chattrajee carried out research on the crab for a few years in the late nineties under a project. Yet they left it for reason best known to them.
Horseshoe crabs are among the world's oldest and most fascinating creatures. They are estimated to be at least 300 million years old.