COTS (Crown-of-thorns Starfish)

The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) is a large, spiny marine creature native to coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific. It gets its name from the crown-like array of venomous spines covering its body. COTS feeds on coral, and while naturally occurring in healthy reef ecosystems, population outbreaks can cause significant damage by voraciously consuming coral tissue. This can lead to reef degradation and loss of biodiversity. Factors like overfishing of natural predators, pollution, and climate change contribute to COTS outbreaks. Managing their numbers is crucial to protecting coral reefs and maintaining marine biodiversity.