This bot hunts down starfish only

Engineers developed RangerBot, a compact autonomous underwater vehicle, to combat the coral-devouring crown-of-thorns starfish using targeted lethal injections.
Interesting Engineering

The Great Barrier Reef, a world-renowned marine sanctuary, faces a formidable foe in the form of the crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS). While naturally feeding on corals, a combination of warmer oceans and an impressive reproductive rate, wherein a female can produce up to 200 million eggs, has intensified its threat.

Engineers have risen to the challenge by developing COTSBot, an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). Initially designed to target and eliminate COTS using a specialized toxin, its limitations became apparent due to its size and cost. The baton was then passed to RangerBot, a more efficient successor. Beyond just exterminating COTS, RangerBot plays multiple roles, including monitoring water quality and detecting coral bleaching, making it a holistic solution for marine conservation.

While the idea of using robots to address ecological challenges may seem unconventional, when confronting the threat of the crown-of-thorns starfish, innovations like RangerBot might just be the lifeline our invaluable coral ecosystems need.