Crown of Thorns, a starfish war
Channel: IRD
Date: 21/12/2017

In the Pacific, over a third of all coral reefs have been struck by crown of thorns infestations, and it is thought that almost a quarter has been destroyed over the last 30 years.
In addition, coral reefs are facing other threats: increasingly intense cyclones, rising water temperatures, and the effects of human activity. 
Throughout the Pacific island region, communities, divers, fishers and scientists, all volunteers, 
are mobilising to contain the devastating consequences of the ravenous appetite of millions of COTs. 
An integrated action plan was launched in 2014, with scientific support from the French Research Institute for Development (IRD).  
In New Caledonia, Pascal Dumas and his IRD colleagues have called on lagoon stakeholders for support in collecting data on the status and location of COTS populations. 

Film director : Jean-Michel BORÉ 
Scientific advisor : Pascal DUMAS - UMR Entropie IRD/Université La Réunion/CNRS  
English Version, 19’05  
© IRD Nouméa/Bondy 2017