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from the insert-Lisa-SImpson-quip-here dept.
A giant starfish-eating snail could be unleashed to help save the Great Barrier Reef, officials said Monday, with a trial underway to breed thousands of the rare species.
Predatory crown-of-thorns starfish, which munch coral, are naturally-occurring but have proliferated due to pollution and agricultural run-off at the struggling World Heritage-listed ecosystem.
Their impact has been profound with a major study of the 2,300-kilometre (1,400-mile) long reef's health in 2012 showing coral cover halved over the past 27 years, with 42 percent of the damage attributed to the pest.
Now Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) research has shown they avoid areas where the Pacific triton sea snail—also known as the giant triton—is present.
The snails—which can grow to half a metre—have a well developed sense of smell and can hunt their prey by scent alone.
Research showed they were particularly fond of crown-of-thorns, but only eat a few each week, and with the snail almost hunted to extinction for their shells, there are not many left.
The snails are expected to move quickly to counter the starfish.
(Score: 5, Informative) by PinkyGigglebrain on Tuesday September 19 2017, @07:50AM (1 child)
From the article is reads that the snails are local to the area and a natural predator to the starfish, but had been over hunted to for their shells. Probably what contributed to the starfish getting out of hand in the first place.
It seems the plan is to raise as many of the snails as they can in captivity and then release them back into the wild when the snails are large enough to fend for themselves.
I just hope it isn't too little too late to help the reef.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 3, Funny) by driverless on Tuesday September 19 2017, @07:23PM
Yep, those snails will just be racing along to gobble up all the starfish.