Over 500 starfish washed up ashore along Clovelly in Cape Town beach last week. A rescue operation led was led by the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
Volunteers and conservationists assisted in collecting and sorting the starfish, after which they placed them in containers filled with water. The SPCA took to the sea via boat and released the starfish back into the deep ocean.
In a statement to CapeTalk, SPCA chief inspector Jaco Pieterse stated that this was a necessary measure, as the starfish would not survive in shallow waters.
A number of factors contribute to starfish beachings, such as breeding and an increase in temperature. The ‘red tide’ phenomenon is also considered a risk. This phenomenon refers to harmful algal blooms which occur when colonies of algae grow out of control and produce toxic effects on fish, shellfish, marine life, birds and even humans, according to Ocean Service. True to the name, these blooms turn the water red.
Find out more about the process here.
Picture: Cape of Good Hope SPCA
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