People Fixing the World - Sea cucumbers fixing the world

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Meet the oceans’ unsung hero.

Human activity is having a huge impact on the world’s oceans - global warming, pollution from fish farms and damage from the fishing industry are all threatening some of the oceans most important ecosystems.

But one creature might be able to help. The humble sea cucumber – an animal in the same family as starfish that looks like a lumpy sausage and lives on the ocean floor.

We meet the Australian researchers using drones to count the cucumbers to understand how their poo is helping coral reefs. And in Madagascar, we speak to the local communities which are learning to sustainably farm the creature, protecting the seas and increasing their income along the way.

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producer/Reporter: Lizzy McNeill
Series producer: Tom Colls
Sound mix: Annie Gardiner
Editor: Penny Murphy

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk
Image: Sea cucumbers (Getty Images)

Published on Tuesday, 14th February 2023.

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