19/08/2026
If you’re lucky while exploring the shallow waters around St. Croix, you might come across one of these beauties, a Cushion Sea Star (Oreaster reticulatus).
Often called a “starfish,” sea stars actually aren’t fish at all. They’re echinoderms, making them relatives of sea urchins and sand dollars.
A few fun facts:
⭐ Those five arms are lined underneath with hundreds of tiny tube feet that help the sea star move, hold onto surfaces and feed.
⭐ Cushion sea stars can eat algae, microorganisms and even sponges.
⭐ They don’t have a brain or blood like we do. Instead, they use a water vascular system to operate those tiny tube feet.
⭐ Sea stars have an incredible ability to regenerate damaged or lost portions of their arms.
And one of the most important things to remember when you find one:
DO admire it where you find it.
DO take all the photos you want.
DO give it space and leave it in its natural habitat.
DON’T pick it up for a photo.
DON’T take it out of the water.
DON’T move it somewhere “better” for your picture.
DON’T take it home as a souvenir.
The best wildlife encounters are the ones where we get to observe these incredible animals without disturbing them.
Look, photograph, enjoy, and leave them exactly where you found them. 🌊⭐
