The Great Barrier Reef could be protected by this tiny ocean creature

Euronews.green writes that, besides global warming, the Great Barrier Reef is also threatened by some creatures, called crown of thorns starfish, which are feeding on the corals that build the barrier.

The red decorator crab, say experts at the University of Queensland, likes to feed on the toxic juvenile starfish and the crab species is one of its main predators.

Lead researcher Amelia Desbiens said that "it’s one of the best predators of COTS we’ve seen and could be a natural buffer against future outbreaks on the reef."

Around 3.000 coral reefs in the vast ecosystem have been severely damaged in the last few years by underwater heatwaves and powerful sea storms, among other things, researchers warned.

The crown of thorns starfish had another attempt at devouring the Great Barrier Reef between 1985 and 2012, when it consumed around 42% of the corals in the area. Each of the starfish can consume upwards of ten square meters of coral every year and considering there are millions of these creatures, we need to act fast to protect this delicate ecosystem.

Experts at the University of Queensland say that red decorator crabs are able to consume as much as five starfish per day, which is more than any other of its few predators.