07/09/2025
Please don’t touch starfish — this is a serious request to all tourists and guides.
To all visitors: leave starfish in the water.
And to all tour guides: please educate your guests about why this is so important
Lifting a starfish out of the water for a quick photo might seem harmless, but it can actually be fatal for the animal.
Starfish breathe through tiny structures on their bodies called dermal gills. These gills exchange gases directly with the water — it’s how they get oxygen. When taken out of the water, they can’t breathe. Fresh air is harmful to them, and they can’t hold their breath. Every second out of water is a struggle — like having your lungs filled with water.
When people repeatedly pull them out for photos, the stress and oxygen deprivation can be enough to kill them. It’s not just a cute picture — it could be the end of that creature’s life.
Wildlife isn’t here for our entertainment. Just because something is slow or easy to pick up doesn’t mean we should. And no amount of likes or shares is worth harming a living being.
Most of us didn’t know better in the past — but now we do. And that means we have a responsibility to change how we interact with the natural world.
Thu Le
