Rare sunflower sea star colony found, offering hope for kelp forest recovery

A decade ago, a marine epidemic wiped out nearly 99% of sunflower sea stars along the California coast, causing sea urchin populations to surge unchecked. The loss of these key predators led to widespread destruction of kelp forests, which are critical ocean ecosystems. Recently, researchers discovered a previously unknown colony of sunflower sea stars, reigniting hopes for ecological recovery. Scientists are now studying the colony's disease resilience to understand what helped them survive. Findings from this research could support future efforts to reintroduce the species to its native ocean habitats.