The Gateway Newspaper
Sunflower Sea Stars Are Now Critically Endangered
This print story is part of a monthly environmental column for The Gateway Newspaper and Tacoma News Tribune. Carly began writing for The Gateway in November 2019.
Other environmental columns published online can be found at: https://www.thenewstribune.com/search/?q=Carly+vester
Researchers knew something was wrong back in 2013. Divers saw it too. As sea star wasting syndrome decimated sea star populations on the west coast, even tide-poolers began to notice. The charismatic stars of the shoreline were missing.
The news has since worsened for one species of sea star. Last month, sunflower sea stars (Pycnopodia helianthoides) were officially listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This listing is one step from being categorized as “extinct in the wild” and a sharp reminder of the disease’s impact, its ripple effects, and the ongoing need for environmental stewardship.
Data from The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Oregon State University, and more than 60 partner institutions indicates that 90.6% – an estimated 5.75 billion – of these many-limbed sea stars have died off from Mexico to Alaska since 2013.
Sea star wasting syndrome is a marine densovirus that completely disintegrates sea stars. Their bodies deflate while white, mushy patches begin to appear where flesh is sloughing off. Limbs detach and all that will remain is a wispy pile of white goo. It’s devastating.
Over the years, warming ocean temperatures were linked to the disease’s exacerbation, but a unified answer as to what exactly caused the syndrome is still unclear.
Population recovery of sunflower seas stars is nonexistent. They have been missing from Mexico since 2016, absent in California since 2018, and only a handful have been seen on Washington and Oregon’s outer coasts since 2018. Some populations are still present in Puget Sound, British Columbia, and Alaska, but nowhere near the numbers nor physical sizes, according to TNC. Sunflower sea stars are among the largest in the world, growing up to 3.2 feet in diameter with an average of 16-24 arms. These characteristics make them not only easily recognizable, but an important intertidal predator.
With each passing year, the loss of the sunflower sea star has become baldly apparent. Research from TNC indicates that purple sea urchin populations – a favorite meal of sunflower sea stars – have “exploded” in many regions. This overabundance of urchins has been linked to a significant decline in kelp forests in recent years.
In turn, kelp forest ecosystems are critical habitat for thousands of marine animals and are already facing increased stress from marine heatwave events. They also benefit humans by supporting coastal economies as habitat for shellfish and coastal fisheries.
Hope for sunflower sea stars still exists through the ICUN listing and international recognition of its critically endangered status. Not only does the official listing encourage further research and collaboration, but it also serves as urgent momentum to conserve a species. For example, the University of Washington and TNC will be spearheading the first captive breeding of the species, which could be a potential pathway for a species re-introduction (if this is appropriate and necessary).
I began researching and writing about sea star wasting syndrome in 2017. Last year I shared the story in The Gateway while working in community science surveys and education with Harbor WildWatch, Gig Harbor’s environmental education organization.
We spend more time above water than underneath; human impacts to our oceans often aren’t apparent until something is critically wrong, like sea stars going missing. Individuals and communities need to think creatively to keep our waterways healthy. Everything is connected – from our daily choices to the kelp forest in the Puget Sound and coastlines. Daily environmental stewardship starts with small choices that can cause a ripple effect (think single-use plastic usage and being mindful of food waste). And, when it’s safe to do so, getting involved with local organizations to explore and learn more about our local beaches.
Hopefully with awareness and increased research and effort, we can start this New Year with a renewed push to research and conserve this special species.