Get involved in helping scientists understand Starfish [seastar] Wasting Syndrome. Details of what to look for; how to record it; and where to send it are found on this site's data sheets. Additional information is available at seastarwasting.org. Starfish are considered a "keystone" species of Puget Sound, indicative of its overall health. You can help scientists understand what may be causing their die-off.
Starfish [sea star] wasting disease causes
starfish to pull themselves apart.
(from Inhabit.com)
Species extinction happening before our eyes?
Oregon State University researchers have said they expect the still unexplained "Sea Star Wasting Syndrome" to bring local starfish populations to extinction. A June 6 article from Inhabit.com notes:
The sea star wasting syndrome has reached epidemic proportions and researchers expect that local starfish extinctions are all but guaranteed at this point. The awful disease causes starfish to tear themselves apart, and it has been devastating starfish populations for months now with no signs of slowing. The Oregon coast in particular has seen an explosion in wasting cases, and scientists expect that the purple ochre sea star will likely be wiped out in the near future, which could have a crippling impact on the ocean ecosystem.
Lesions on Sea Star just prior to
separation from the body.
(Picture from Puget Sound's
Hammersley Inlet, June 2013)
Starfish with 2 legs having separated.
(Picture from Puget Sound's
Hammersley Inlet, June 2013)
Separated leg
(Picture by Kim Merriman, 2014
from Puget Sound's Eld Inlet)
Lowest tides of the year
This weekend's deep minus tides provide a limited opportunity to help document what is occurring in Puget Sound's intertidal area. Get out and see what's happening.
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