A collaborative effort between the Samish Indian Nation and University of Washington researchers has resulted in the release of 20 sunflower stars into waters near the San Juan Islands. The three-year-old specimens were bred in a laboratory facility and transported via research vessel to their new marine habitat. This initiative represents part of a broader conservation program aimed at restoring populations of the endangered species.
Sunflower stars have experienced catastrophic population declines due to sea-star wasting disease, caused by Vibrio bacteria. Scientists estimate that approximately 90 percent of the species has been lost across a range spanning from northern Mexico to Alaska. The disease outbreak affected dozens of sea star species, but sunflower stars were particularly hard hit, prompting international designations of the species as critically endangered. The pathogen is believed to have been amplified by ocean heat waves associated with climate change.
The creatures are considered keystone species due to their ecological significance. Growing to widths exceeding three feet, sunflower stars are among the fastest-moving sea stars, traveling across the seafloor in search of urchins and sea cucumbers. Their presence helps maintain kelp forest ecosystems by controlling sea urchin populations. Many kelp forests along the West Coast have been depleted by unchecked urchin grazing, making the recovery of sunflower star populations particularly important for regional marine ecosystems.
The partnership between the Samish Nation and university researchers involved developing breeding techniques for the previously understudied species. Laboratory teams successfully maintained populations in captivity and developed treatments for wasting disease when it appeared in tanks. Earlier plans to release stars were postponed when the disease resurged in local waters, leading to a delayed timeline for the current release operation.
The endeavor has gained additional attention from conservation organizations, with a nonprofit group filing suit seeking formal federal protections under the Endangered Species Act. While the previous administration proposed such protections, current federal agencies have not acted on the proposal, citing other priorities.
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