Environment
Millions of dead and dried seastars from Asia
are exported to Europe. Crafting seastars from
resin or rubber will spare the lives of millions
of sea creatures, all which play vital roles in
their respective ecosystems. (Gregg Yan / Best
Alternatives)
“The damage wrought by the illegal trade in corals is immense. We’re happy to finally
see the fight against the trade taken seriously. This gives hope that as a country, we
are taking a stand to protect our precious natural resources,” adds Vanessa Vergara,
executive director of Reef Check Philippines.
Dead and dried staghorn corals, giant clams and assorted seashells
being sold illegally in Manila. The curio or décor trade offers everything
from dried seahorses, pufferfish and sharks to corals, marine turtles
and seashells. (Gregg Yan / Best Alternatives)
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Artificial brain corals inside a marine aquarium. Faux corals look realistic
and are made of resin, rubber or polymer. Unlike live corals which require
special equipment and care, faux corals are plug-and-play. (Gregg Yan /
Best Alternatives)