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SL Navy bags Crown-of-Thorns starfish haul
View(s):The Sri Lankan Navy was successful in collecting 46 Crown-of-Thorns starfish, which harm coral, in the Pigeon Island National Park, Trincomalee on Friday.
These starfish are found on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. They eat coral polyps, thus destroying the corals. They are covered in long poisonous spines, and range in colour from purplish-blue to reddish-grey to green.
The starfish were collected in a cleaning program held to mark World Ocean Day, on June 8, by the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) and the Sri Lankan Navy. MEPA conducted a workshop on conservation of coastal and marine environments. This year’s theme was preventing plastic pollution and encouraging solutions for a healthy ocean.
Navy personnel inspect the Crown-of-Thorns starfish. Pix by Indika Handuwala
