Some reefs in the Maldives still struggle to recover years after mass bleaching. Scientists think they may have found one overlooked reason: the cushion starfish.
Unlike the notorious crown-of-thorns, this one targets juvenile corals under 10cm – the fast-growing acropora and pocillopora reefs need to rebuild. A 2024 study in Baa Atoll found it was the leading cause of death among corals used in restoration projects. In plain terms: conservationists were planting coral, and the starfish were eating it.
It’s native, not invasive, and part of the ecosystem, which makes the question harder. The Maldives Coral Institute lays out what’s at stake, and why targeted removal in key zones may now be on the table.
Read the op-ed: https://maldivesindependent.com/opinion/rise-of-baby-coral-killers-could-hold-back-reef-recovery-4e02
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