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Princess Beatrix visits sea urchin research on Saba

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December 12, 2024

On November 15, Princess Beatrix visited the Saba Research Centre. Researchers from Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences and Wageningen University showed her around the lab and explained the various projects being carried out here.

Associate lector Alwin Hylkema explained to the princess about the poor state of Caribbean coral reefs, where algae overgrow the reef and prevent coral recovery. At the Saba Research Centre, research is being done on how sea urchins and other herbivores can be released to graze the algae and give coral a chance to settle and grow. After viewing the adult and juvenile sea urchins, the princess was explained by PhD researcher Oliver Klokman about sea urchin breeding. Student Femke Heldoorn showed some larvae under the microscope. At the end of the tour, which lasted 45 minutes, it was dinner time. The princess helped the next generation of sea urchins by feeding them micro-algae that the researchers had prepared.