Description
Our Great Barrier Reef is under threat from several man-made aggressors – Coral bleaching, climate change and pollution. But one such natural aggressor which imposes an immense risk on the survival of reefs as large as the Great Barrier Reef is the Crown of Thorns Starfish, which feed exclusively on live coral. One COTS can consume up to ten square metres of coral per year, and with outbreaks of many thousands to millions at a time, puts the reef’s survival at huge risk. This print depicts the act of the umemeg (shellfish) consuming the COTS. Although, they are considered incredibly venomous the umemeg is unaffected. Umemeg, which can grow up to half a metre in length, are a natural predator for the COTS, as well as sea cucumbers and other starfish. The scent of the Umemeg is enough of a deterrent to send the COTS into a panic and flee.
