This page is an English translation of the original Italian article. The original publication date and historical context have been preserved.
Every summer I see friends in postcard-perfect places publishing beautiful photographs on social media—often holding a starfish above the water.
Even when it is done without bad intentions, removing a marine animal from its environment can cause serious harm. Starfish are delicate organisms, and exposure to air, handling and physical stress can damage them.
There are other concerns as well. Sunscreen, oils and substances on our skin can be transferred to the animal. Touching marine life can also be harmful to us, because some species have defensive structures or may carry organisms on their surface.
I wanted to underline this so that people pause before lifting a starfish merely to take a photograph. That picture is not worth a life. The same lesson is worth teaching to children: living creatures deserve respect and are not toys.
