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Saudi National Center for Wildlife Development to Assess Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Outbreak

Saudi National Center for Wildlife Development to Assess Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Outbreak
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Saudi National Center for Wildlife Development to Assess Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Outbreak

Saudi National Center for Wildlife Development to Assess Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Outbreak

Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife (NCW) initiated a comprehensive survey plan to gather essential data on Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) populations in key areas of the Red Sea.

The data will be used to promptly address outbreaks of the organism, thereby safeguarding biodiversity and the health of coral reefs.

The effort is part of NCW's role as the national authority and point of reference for establishing protocols and standards related to terrestrial and marine wildlife and addressing the threats they face. It follows the adoption of a protocol to control the spread of COTS, which is tailored to the organism's nature in the Red Sea environment. The protocol allows for a swift and effective response to limit its spread and protect coral reefs.

In December 2022, the NCW convened a workshop to discuss combating COTS outbreaks and develop a protocol for studying the current situation and identifying the causes of the increase in COTS numbers above the natural rate. The workshop also aimed to learn about best practices and applications for controlling the spread of damage from various global experts and consultants in this field.

The plan aims to identify operational procedures and establish the best response framework and mechanism for involving stakeholders. COTS is a marine organism that feeds on algae and types of bacteria that grow on coral reefs. However, it poses a significant threat to ecosystems when it undergoes outbreaks, which have been linked to significant damage to coral reefs in the Red Sea, particularly during the observed spawning season, from the last two weeks of July to the first two weeks of August.

Understanding the organism's spatial distribution, density, and reproductive behavior during its peak period is crucial for effective management and mitigation of potential outbreaks that could lead to coral-reef degradation.

The survey plan offers baseline data on COTS populations in key areas of the Red Sea that can be utilized to predict and manage outbreaks of the organism in a timely manner, thus protecting coral-reef health and biodiversity. The approach is based on accuracy and practical considerations to ensure the comprehensiveness and feasibility of the survey.

Cooperation between marine biologists, local stakeholders, and divers in this initiative is an integral part of conservation efforts in the region.

The crown-of-thorns is a large starfish species belonging to the echinoderm phylum. It inhabits tropical and subtropical Pacific reefs and typically reproduces when the water temperature is 28 degrees Celsius.

During outbreaks, its consumption of coral reefs exceeds the growth rates of reefs. One of the main causes of this organism's outbreak is the imbalance of the food chain and overfishing of the organisms that feed on it, the most important of which is the Napoleon fish, or tarpon.

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Mount Everest's Highest Camp Littered with Frozen Garbage, Cleanup Likely to Take Years

This image provided by the Peak Promotion shows a member of the Nepal government-funded team using a spade to remove frozen trash en route the Mount Everest, Nepal, Tuesday, April 27, 2021. (Peak Promotion via AP)
This image provided by the Peak Promotion shows a member of the Nepal government-funded team using a spade to remove frozen trash en route the Mount Everest, Nepal, Tuesday, April 27, 2021. (Peak Promotion via AP)
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Mount Everest's Highest Camp Littered with Frozen Garbage, Cleanup Likely to Take Years

This image provided by the Peak Promotion shows a member of the Nepal government-funded team using a spade to remove frozen trash en route the Mount Everest, Nepal, Tuesday, April 27, 2021. (Peak Promotion via AP)
This image provided by the Peak Promotion shows a member of the Nepal government-funded team using a spade to remove frozen trash en route the Mount Everest, Nepal, Tuesday, April 27, 2021. (Peak Promotion via AP)

The highest camp on the world’s tallest mountain is littered with garbage that is going to take years to clean up, according to a Sherpa who led a team that worked to clear trash and dig up dead bodies frozen for years near Mount Everest’s peak.
The Nepal government-funded team of soldiers and Sherpas removed 11 tons of garbage, four dead bodies and a skeleton from Everest during this year's climbing season.
Ang Babu Sherpa, who led the team of Sherpas, said there could be as much as 40-50 tons of garbage still at South Col, the last camp before climbers make their attempt on the summit.
“The garbage left there was mostly old tents, some food packaging and gas cartridges, oxygen bottles, tent packs, and ropes used for climbing and tying up tents,” he said, adding that the garbage is in layers and frozen at the 8,000-meter altitude where the South Col camp is located.
Since the peak was first conquered in 1953, thousands of climbers have scaled it and many have left behind more than just their footprints, The Associated Press reported.
In recent years, a government requirement that climbers bring back their garbage or lose their deposits, along with increased awareness among climbers about the environment, have significantly reduced the amount of garbage left behind. However, that was not the case in earlier decades.
“Most of the garbage is from older expeditions,” Ang Babu said.
The Sherpas on the team collected garbage and bodies from the higher-attitude areas, while the soldiers worked at lower levels and the base camp area for weeks during the popular spring climbing season, when weather conditions are more favorable.
Ang Babu said the weather was a big challenge for their work in the South Col area, where oxygen levels are about one-third the normal amount, winds can quickly turn to blizzard conditions and temperatures plunge.
“We had to wait for good weather when the sun would melt the ice cover. But waiting a long time in that attitude and conditions is just not possible,” he said. “It's difficult to stay for long with the oxygen level very low.”
Digging out the garbage is also a big task, since it is frozen inside ice and breaking the blocks is not easy.
It took two days to dig out one body near the South Col which was frozen in a standing position deep in the ice, he said. Part way through, the team had to retreat to lower camps because of the deteriorating weather, and then resume after it improved.
Another body was much higher up at 8,400 meters and it took 18 hours to drag it to Camp 2, where a helicopter picked it up.
The bodies were flown to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for identification.
Of the 11 tons of garbage removed, three tons of decomposable items were taken to villages near Everest's base and the remaining eight were carried by porters and yaks and then taken by trucks to Kathmandu. There it was sorted for recycling at a facility operated by Agni Ventures, an agency that manages recyclable waste.
“The oldest waste we received was from 1957, and that was rechargeable batteries for torch lights,” said Sushil Khadga of the agency.
Why do climbers leave garbage behind?
"At that high altitude, life is very difficult and oxygen is very low. So climbers and their helpers are more focused on saving themselves," Khadga said.