Nowadays, it’s no longer surprising to go out of town every week or so. Most, if not all of us, are out there, exploring the beauty of all these wonderful destinations and wandering either to unwind, escape, grow and even find one’s self.
With the increasing growth of our country’s travel industry, it is important to make sure that we are still taking care of the environment and the organisms living in it. Just recently, Project Alagalaan, an online campaign that aims to educate people on responsible travel and sustainable tourism, posted a reminder on their Facebook page regarding the trend of handling sea stars for photos.
On their post, they raised a few concerns on health and ecological hazards. They reminded everyone that in nature-based activities, ideally, there should be a no-touch policy. In this case, sea stars may die when they are out of the water for too long. They also indicated a few reminders in case you really want a photo with a sea star, such as:
(1) DO NOT take the sea star out of the water! Placing the sea star out of the water even just for a few seconds can lead to irreversible tissue damage; and longer periods can cause the sea star to dry out and die.
(2) Handle the sea star with care. Be gentle while picking it up, ensuring no damage in the tube feet. If you hold it, do not bend or break its arms.
(3) Do not touch the sea star if you put on sunscreen. This can be toxic to them.
(4) Place it back exactly where you found it!
If you cannot guarantee the safety of the sea star, do not touch it at all! AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AVOID HANDLING SEA STARS.
Read their full post below:
Remember, with great travel photos come great environmental responsibilities.
What are your thoughts on this? Tell us in the comments!
