Just Because Pulau Hantu Is Not A.....

world class dive site, this does not mean that it gives you the rights to mistreat her animals!

Happened to browse a Facebook contact's link that shows a group of divers diving at Pulau Hantu.

Some pics show a diver holding a Icon Seastar posing for pictures. But the most outrageous one has to be this;


Yes, that TWO Icon Seastars up the seabed and placed on the boat! They are not even being place in some seawater! Cos Seastars rely on seawater, it is stressful for Seastars to be left out of water for too long!

Why must the divers bring up the Seastars? Why? Why? Why? For Fun or pure ignorance?

The Icon Seastar (Iconaster longimanus) is listed as Vulnerable in our Red Data Book. This mean that "there are fewer than 1000 mature individuals but more than 250 and there may or may not be any other evidence of decline, small range size or fragmentation."

It is considered Vulnerable due to that it is directly threatened by reclamation activities and by sedimentation and also over-collection as ornament due to its attractive appearance.

Sigh.....Eco-education of divers (as suggested by the book) is really needed to minimise additional losses of these Seastars! :o(