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Invasive “furry”-clawed crabs that terrorize fishermen have been found in New York
Just days ago, invasive Joro spiders sent New Yorkers into a frenzy amid news that the large arachnids that can soar with the winds are headed for the Big Apple. Now, there’s another critter causing a stir that has “furry” mittens for claws and is known to terrorize fishermen while tearing up coastlines.
New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation said last week that they found mitten crabs in the state’s Nissequogue River over the winter, news that they said, “was anything but crabulous.” More recently, the agency, the creatures have have been found in the Hudson River and Long Island Sound.
“These crabs move between brackish and marine waters and have the potential to disrupt local ecosystems by out competing native marine life,” the department said in its June 5 Facebook post.
Chinese mitten crabs are an invasive species that are originally from East Asia. The Smithsonian says that the crabs first established an invasive population in the San Francisco Bay in the ’80s, but it took decades for them to reach the opposite coast.
According to New York Invasive Species Information, these crustaceans were first documented in the eastern U.S. Chesapeake Bay in 2006 at the mouth of Maryland’s Patapsco River. One of the crabs was first spotted in New York in May 2007 when it was found in a commercial crab pot in the Hudson River.
Frank Bründel/picture alliance via Getty Images
It’s not yet fully known the kind of impact they will have in New York, but so far, their impacts in Europe and San Francisco have been negative ecologically and economically, the DEC says. The tiny, hard-shelled animals have been known to steal fishing bait and damage fishing gear, block power plant cooling systems and even amplify flooding risk by burrowing in banks, causing them to be unstable and erode.
To identify them, the agency says to look out for “furry” claws that resemble mittens on adult crabs. Younger crabs may not have the fuzzy claws, and it’s recommended to look for a notch on their carapace, or shell, between their eyes and the four small spines on each side.
But what do you do if you happen to see one?
“Do not throw it back alive!” the Smithsonian says.
New York officials say that if a mitten crab is seen, it should be immediately removed from the environment and frozen. They also encourage anyone who finds one to take photos, make note of where it was found and report it to the Bureau of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
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Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa leaves field with concussion after collision with Bills’ Damar Hamlin
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was ruled out of Thursday night’s game with the Buffalo Bills because of a concussion after colliding with defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa, who has a history of dealing with head injuries, remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands, appeared to smile and departed for the locker room.
Lynne Sladky / AP
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion.
Tagovailoa, who sustained multiple concussions his first three NFL seasons, positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards.
He signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left the game with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, which held as the final score.
Tagovailoa was hurt on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
He wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at Tagovailoa as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Skylar Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season.
Going into last season, Tagovailoa added muscle and spent time studying jiu-jitsu in an effort to learn how to fall more safely and try to protect himself against further injury.
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