I’m currently exploring a new project with Sunflower Star Lab centered around one of the ocean’s most endangered invertebrates, the sunflower sea star or Pycnopodia helianthoides. I recently visited a small lab tucked behind the eco-tour ticket booth at Moss Landing. It’s easy to overlook, even though it sits right next to the MBARI docks and the Moss Landing Marine Lab. As tours pass by, it becomes an unexpected opportunity for outreach.

Inside the lab, I met the manager, Vince, and some of the student researchers. Since I’m not yet 18, I couldn’t assist with the hands-on lab work. Ways for a youngster like me include creating outreach content and helping share the story of these sea stars with the public.

The lab is home to 72 sunflower sea stars that were “born” on Valentine’s Day 2024. They’re still small, carefully raised in filtered seawater. I learned that these animals are now locally extinct all the way up to Humboldt County, a loss caused by warming waters in 2013 called The Blob and a disease known as Sea Star Wasting Syndrome. The syndrome causes lesions and rapid tissue decay, often leading to death within days. I see various sea stars with missing limbs sometimes when I dive. First noticed in 2013, it spread rapidly and wiped out over 90% of the population across their range.

In a 2023 study supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and Oregon State University researchers, sunflower sea stars were found to be especially effective at preying on starved purple urchins, a key behavior that could aid kelp forest recovery. In Monterey Bay, large swaths of seafloor have become urchin barrens following The Blob. There’s a lot riding on their survival. If they make it back, these stars could use their ecological superpower to help rebalance the California’s coast.

It’s troubling to think that even with careful breeding, there’s no guarantee these animals will survive in Monterey waters. Vince is considering introducing them to the Tanker’s Reef restoration grid, something I hope to witness firsthand after they turn 2. I’ve also started sharing a diver outreach flyer I found at a shop in Monterey. It’s from Cal State Humboldt, encouraging divers to report any sightings. I had not seen it at my local dive shop, which reinforces what I had already learned: these predators are missing.

The sunflower sea star isn’t just visually striking. It’s a keystone predator that keeps urchin populations in check. Without it, kelp forests suffer, ecosystems unravel, and biodiversity shrinks. Seeing the lab’s efforts and connecting with the people behind them made me realize this isn’t just about saving one species, it’s about protecting the balance of an entire coastline.

Status: Ongoing