Get Local: Essex County Endangered Species

I posted earlier about how Endangered Species Day really needs to be every day, especially in a densely populated state like New Jersey. I live in Essex County, New Jersey, one of the most densely populated counties in the state—and in the entire U.S.  As of 2024 estimates, it has roughly 850,000 residents living within about 130 square miles, giving it a population density of around 6,500 people per square mile. Essex ranks among the top three most densely populated counties in New Jersey, alongside Hudson and Union.

But it is not without wildlife and green areas, and, of course, some rare, endangered, and threatened wildlife and plant species. Newark, East Orange, and Irvington account for much of that density, with Newark alone exceeding 11,000 people per square mile. But towns such as Cedar Grove, Montclair, and Livingston are less dense—typically 2,000–4,000 people per square mile—but still tightly settled compared to rural counties.

High population density means fragmented habitats and pressure on green spaces, making local conservation efforts—like those highlighted in the poster —especially vital. Protecting remaining wetlands, forest corridors, and stream buffers helps maintain biodiversity amid urban growth.

The poster highlights the rare wildlife found across the county’s forests, wetlands, and river corridors—from the Watchung Mountains to the Passaic and Rahway watersheds. It features species such as the bog turtle, timber rattlesnake, Indiana bat, and peregrine falcon, along with native plants like swamp pink and American chaffseed that thrive in protected habitats. All of these depend on the Watchung Mountains and Passaic River corridor for survival.

World Ocean Day

World Oceans Day is observed every year on June 8. This date is consistent across all UN member states and has been officially recognized by the United Nations since 2008. It’s an annual international observance dedicated to ocean protection, awareness, and sustainable stewardship. 

If you're not involved in conservation efforts around our oceans, one way to celebrate World Ocean Day is with a collection of free educational resources about Earth’s oceans from The Open University's Science courses and qualifications.

The oceans cover more than 70 per cent of our planet. Discover the wonders of our oceans - on Earth and beyond. From interactive games like Ocean Explorer to free courses and thought-provoking articles (including oceans in space!), this collection brings together a wealth of learning to inspire curiosity and care for our marine world.

New Jersey has several ways to celebrate World Oceans Day and oceans in general throughout the year. 

• New Jersey World Ocean Day Beach Cleanup — Wildwood Crest
  Date: June 6, 2026  11am (held the weekend before World Oceans Day)
  Rambler Road Beach, E Heather Road & The Beach, Wildwood Crest, NJ
  Volunteers remove debris, receive orientation, and may get a free event t‑shirt if registered early. All ages welcome; minors need an adult.
• Clean Ocean Action holds Statewide Beach Sweeps (related coastal stewardship). While not tied specifically to June 8, Clean Ocean Action runs one of the largest coastal cleanup programs in the state. Their next major event is October 24, 2026. 9:00 AM–12:30 PM at 80+ beaches across New Jersey. This long‑running cleanup effort removes millions of debris items; volunteers of all ages welcome.

 

Endangered Species Days

Endangered Species Day is an annual, globally recognized day—held on the third Friday of May (this year it was on the 15th) dedicated to celebrating, learning about, and taking action to protect threatened and endangered species. But a day is not enough.

It was established by the U.S. Congress with leadership from the National Wildlife Federation and has since grown into an international observance involving schools, conservation groups, communities, and individuals.

So why does the day matter? More than one‑third of U.S. wildlife species are at risk of extinction in the coming decades. Endangered Species Day is a reminder that conservation efforts—legal protections, habitat restoration, and community engagement—work and are urgently needed. 

Here are some suggestions for things you can do any day of the year that make a difference.

• Attend or host events such as talks, film screenings, habitat cleanups, or nature walks. 
• Learn about endangered species, from mountain gorillas to red wolves to local pollinators. 
• Participate in creative activities, like chalk art contests or wildlife crafts for kids. 
• Support conservation organizations through volunteering or donations. 
• Raising awareness of species at risk of extinction and the ecosystems they depend on.
• Highlighting conservation successes, such as species whose populations have rebounded thanks to the Endangered Species Act.
• Encouraging public action—from habitat restoration to citizen science.
• Celebrating biodiversity, especially local wildlife and habitats.

Review the complete list for New Jersey

dep.nj.gov/njfw/wildlife/endangered-threatened-and-special-concern-species

Horseshoe Crabs Return to Cape May County

 

In this annual rite of spring, the beaches of Cape May and the broader Delaware Bay region play host to one of the oldest, most spectacular wildlife phenomena on Earth: the mass spawning of Atlantic horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus).

This ritual has been repeated for nearly 450 million years—meaning these "living fossils" arrived on these exact shores long before the first dinosaurs walked the earth.

While horseshoe crabs begin trickling onto the beaches in late April, the main event happens in May and June. The absolute peak centers around the Full and New Moons, specifically during evening high tides. May 2026 has two Full Moons to start and end the month.

Driven by the high spring tides, tens of thousands of crabs emerge from the deep bay waters simultaneously. Large, smooth-shelled females crawl up to the high-tide line, often trailing one or more smaller males holding onto her carapace (shell) with specialized, boxing-glove-like claws. The female digs a shallow nest in the sand to deposit up to 20,000 tiny, greenish-tan eggs. The males then fertilize them as the waves wash over the cluster.

At its height, the shoreline looks less like a beach and more like a cobblestone street paved in dark, gleaming, olive-green helmets jostling in the surf.

The arrival of the crabs triggers a second, equally spectacular natural event. The Delaware Bay is the largest horseshoe crab spawning site in the world, and the millions of eggs left in the sand are a vital fuel source for migrating shorebirds.

Among these birds is the Rufa Red Knot, a threatened species undertaking an incredible 9,000-mile journey from the tip of South America up to the Canadian Arctic. Cape May is their ultimate refueling station. The birds arrive emaciated, having lost up to half their body weight. They gorge themselves almost exclusively on the lipid-rich, easily digestible horseshoe crab eggs that are churned up to the surface by the waves.

In just about two weeks, a Red Knot must double its body mass to survive the final leg of its journey north to breed. Without a dense concentration of crab eggs, the birds cannot successfully reach the Arctic or reproduce.

If you head down to the Cape May area to see it, the Delaware Bay side beaches (like Reeds Beach, Cook's Beach, or Higbee Beach) offer far more intense spawning activity than the oceanfront Atlantic beaches, as the crabs prefer the calmer, wave-protected waters of the bay.

Because both the horseshoe crabs and the shorebirds are highly vulnerable, many of Cape May's key bay beaches are seasonally closed to the public during the peak weeks to prevent disturbing the birds. However, public viewing platforms and guided walks hosted by organizations like the Cape May Bird Observatory offer spectacular front-row seats to this ancient dance.