Star Fish (fascinating coastal creatures)
We’ve all heard of starfish and know what they look like. But are they exactly, and how can we help them? Let’s find out!
Starfish (also called ‘sea stars’) are fascinating marine mammals, often in rockpools and coastal waters, including England. They can regenerate lost arms and have a very unusual eating habit, in that they turn their stomachs inside out to consume prey. Having no brain or blood, they are actually echinoderms (not fish). Like sea urchins and sea cucumbers.
But they are living creatures, that eat clams and mussels by pulling the shells apart, and dissolving the prey into ‘soup’ to eat. They can see in all directions, due to having eyes at the end of each arm! And use special receptors to smell prey, as they have no noses..
They move using hyraulic pressure, using hundreds of tiny tube feet under their arms, and some even are born males, and turn into female as they get older! Some species can live for up to 35 years.
How to help beautiful star fish
Starfish do no harm, and it’s important we protect them as like all marine creatures, they are risk from human interference. Mostly from people removing them from the water, to sell them as ‘dried star fish souvenirs’. So never buy them in shops.
If you find a starfish stranded on the sand, gently move it to the water (if it’s attached to a rock, leave it as it is using its feet to ‘suction to a rock’ and waiting for the tide, and you could harm it, if you pull it away. As long as it looks like the sea is going to come in soon, it should be okay.
If it looks like the water can’t cover it, try to use some water or a shell or small shovel, to gently prise it away without harm, so it can return to the sea, in order to survive. But be careful not to harm or pull its feet away harshly. Just removing a star fish from the water can harm its water vascular system.
If you see anyone removing or harming starfish, report it to local environmental authorities.
It’s illegal so you can report it to RSPCA, British Divers Marine Life Rescue or as wildlife crime (anonymous through Crimestoppers).
