Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) are marine invertebrates native to the Great Barrier Reef. They feed exclusively on live coral and grow rapidly, producing millions of offspring once they mature. COTS outbreaks cause significant damage to coral reefs across large areas, and are one of the major causes of coral decline across the Great Barrier Reef over the past 40 years.
We caught up with marine scientist, David Williamson, who heads up the Reef Authority's Crown-of-thorns Control Program, to chat about these voracious Reef-dwellers. David shares his insights on how to monitor, control, and prevent COTS outbreaks, as well as the latest research and innovations.