There is an exponential rise in population of the Crown of Thorns sea star species in our local environment of the Tunku Abdul Rahman marine park!

Downbelow’s island staff team of PADI professionals (Divemasters and Instructors) of our premier PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Centre have noticed the growth in number of the destructive animal at different sections of most reefs.

They’ve noticed it over time because they are in the environment every single day, which is why dive professionals are considered an ambassador of seas and oceans because of the frequency with which they visit the effected dive sites.

What’s important is that our more experienced team – particularly our most experienced, resident Platinum PADI Course Director Richard Swann – educate those with less experience and knowledge on the Crown of Thorns, that any attempt to harm or kill the sea star will only cause more problems. Its defense mechanism, is to secrete thousands of eggs, which is a last attempt to continue its species.

What needs to be done, is to completely remove as many as possible from the waters because just one Crown of Throns sea star can consume as much as 6m2 of coral reef cover each year! Though their spines on their underside is more blunt compared to their topside, wear protective gloves anyways when handling with hands.

It’s so important for the TAR marine park to be protected by the Crown of Thorns voraciously carnivorous behaviour because the health of our coral reefs is the reason our professional divers are living the diving dream that they do everyday and why Kota Kinabalu has so many visitors at all!