Scientists and conservation groups are very successfully breeding and releasing the sea stars back into the wild, and research shows that it’s already starting to improve…which is already starting to improve the delicate balance of the kelp forest ecosystem. Sea urchins that eat kelp are the prey of sea stars, and because of that, kelp forests were shrinking rapidly. With the return of sunflower sea stars back, sea urchin populations are back in control.
In 2013, a catastrophic disease plagued, also known as the… sea star wasting syndrome, plagued the Pacific coast from Alaska to California impacting endangered sea stars. Billions of starfish melted away into mush, causing the colorful sunflower sea stars to reach near extinction.
For many years, the cause of the disease was unknown. However, on August 4, 2025, of over 6 billion sea stars. Knowing the culprit gave scientists the last factor needed to test for sea star health and protect remaining populations.
Sunflower sea stars can grow up to three feet wide with over twenty arms, are apex predators, and act as keystone species as apex predators. They feed primarily on sea urchins, keeping the urchins from overrunning and destroying underwater kelp foresets/forests, the primary food of sea urchins…since sea urchins eat kelp. With these colorful giants slowly returning to coastal waters, marine ecosystems are finally getting a chance to heal and recover.