PICKERING BEACH, Del. (AP) - A fence has been reinstalled along a Delaware beach to keep horseshoe crabs out of a deadly marsh.
Delaware State News reports the 350-foot fence was put up for the second time Wednesday, having successfully saved what's estimated to be thousands of crabs during its pilot run last year.
The crabs climb across the beach for mating season, but a sandy space seems to be causing navigation issues. The crabs end up lost and hunker down in the marsh's wet sand to survive, but the sand quickly dries and the creatures are baked to death.
Little Creek Mayor Glenn Gauvry is the president of the Ecological Research & Development Group, which works to protect the world's four types of horseshoe crab. He says the fence will be monitored by volunteers.
