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Endangered Species Act: Red Knot

September 26, 2023

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act! Join us as we highlight species throughout the year that have benefited from this landmark legislation.

Red knots are listed as federally threatened, and have had an 87% decline since the year 2000. These amazing birds fly more than 18,600 miles during their annual migration. SC’s coast plays a significant role as a stopover site for the birds to rest and recharge during their trip. Red knots have a special link to horseshoe crabs because they depend on their eggs for food during migtation stopover. Their journey of 9,300 miles each spring and each fall makes the red knot one of the longest-distance migrants in the animal kingdom.

You can read more about the symbiotic connection between red knots and horseshoe crabs here.

jenion
Image Credit: Migrating Red Knots by Jenion Tyson.

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