Below is the initial draft of a letter we sent to the U.S. Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, written by Angelina Reddy and me, to encourage the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee to honor Horseshoe Crab (one of the Gaian Way’s more-than-human board members) with its own stamp. Angelina wrote this in the fall, and it would have made far more sense to submit then, under an administration that recognized the ecological peril we humans (and other species) face. However, perhaps the Committee makeup has yet to shift and can still make decisions that can float under the radar of the current anti-environmental coalition that currently controls the government. So, in hopes of that, this week I’m sharing the letter to the committee that we just submitted, before we removed the backstory and links. (The final letter, stripped of identifying information, can be read here.)
Go with Gaia,
Erik
Stamp Development
Attn: Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3300
Washington, DC 20260-3501
February 10, 2025
To the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee,
I write to you on behalf of the Gaian Way, an environmental nonprofit organization based in Middletown, Connecticut. As part of our mission to spread an understanding of Earth as a holistic system which humans are part of and utterly dependent on, in 2023, the Gaian Way appointed four other-than-human beings to be members on its board of directors. One of these board members is the horseshoe crab, whose story of survival spans hundreds of millions of years (as well as recent tragic exploitation). We believe Horseshoe Crab, for its key ecological role, its role in Native American history, and in modern science, deserves representation on a U.S. postage stamp.
Once a ubiquitous presence on the Atlantic coast of North America (and with three other species found in Asia), Horseshoe Crab has declined significantly in numbers since the 1990s due to human-induced factors like beach house-building, polluting the ocean and shore, and harvesting Horseshoe Crab for medicinal uses. This arthropod is a keystone species without whose presence the ecosystem would be thrown drastically out of balance. Along with maintaining a micro-ecosystem upon its large, round shell of a back, Horseshoe Crab serves as a significant food source for migratory birds, sea turtles, alligators, and sharks, to name a few. Its decline in population poses a critical risk to the web of species who depend on it, creating the possibility of serious disturbance to its entire ecosystem.
Having existed on Earth for 440 million years—arriving long before the dinosaurs—Horseshoe Crab carries a wisdom to which humans should listen. Born in a time with temperatures similar to now, Horseshoe Crab survived a jump of 30ºF and subsequent decline back down to current temperatures. Historically, Native Americans used their pointy tails as spear tips and the rest of their bodies to enrich their gardens. In recent years, as scientists discovered that Horseshoe Crab blood is beneficial to vaccine production and testing the presence of bacterial endotoxins (which can be present on implanted medical equipment), humans have failed to recognize and listen to the ways this species survives. Now, the practice of “milking” their blood and throwing them back into the ocean (often to perish) has become prevalent. Synthetic alternatives have now been created but are more expensive, leading to the continued milking of Horseshoe Crabs despite their vulnerability to extinction. How sadly ironic it would be if the Horseshoe Crab’s end comes at the hands of humans rather than the vast ecological changes it has endured.
In an effort to listen to Horseshoe Crab, it seems that the species’ most salient advice may be to attune ourselves to Earth’s rhythms. After all, our physiological, agricultural, and other societal cycles are tied to these rhythms—we have only lost sight of the patterns. If we take actions to mitigate climate change—halting greenhouse gas emissions and overdevelopment, particularly of the coasts and beaches—the Horseshoe Crab population can restore itself to stability. And if we focus on what the Horseshoe Crab can teach us, not only will we be better equipped to face climate change, we might just be able to reverse it. Further, its beautiful, almost alien visage would make for a striking stamp, one worthy of collecting and one that could inspire stronger protection of this majestic creature.
The Horseshoe Crab is an inspiration of survival, resilience, and hope in a rapidly destabilizing world. An ancient, prehistoric being, this animal is one to which we should turn in the face of an uncertain future. With the Horseshoe Crab’s recent decrease in population, its presence on a U.S. postage stamp is of utmost importance to maintain awareness of its existence, its history, and its importance in the web of life.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Angelina Reddy and Erik Assadourian
The Gaian Way
Gaianway.org
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