Millions of sea stars are disintegrating right before our eyes in the "the largest wildlife die-off ever recorded." As keystone predators, starfish play a critical role in our ecosystem. So why aren't they federally protected yet? Even though the scientific community recognizes that more protection would mean more funding, many scientists don't advocate for protection because of "red tape." While scientists weigh the pros and cons of federal protection, some populations of starfish have disappeared by 95 percent.
Here are 4 pressing reasons why sea stars need federal protection now:
1. Some local populations are already dangerously close to extinction.
2. Sea Star Wasting Disease, a disease that fragments the starfish's body and disintegrates them so bad that their arms become goo, is rampant.
3. In this critical time of climate change, there's a strong link between warmer temperatures and more sea star deaths.
4. Less sea stars are changing the prey-predator dynamics in ecosystems. For instance, urchins are coming out more since there's less predators. When there aren't enough sea stars to control them, urchins "can overgraze kelp and sea grass beds, reducing habitat for other fish that use such areas for food and refuge," says Oregon State University.
Are we just going to let sea stars disintegrate right before our eyes in the "the largest wildlife die-off ever recorded?" Sign and share this petition demanding that sea stars receive federal protection now. There are ways to get around "red tape," but there's no getting around extinction.
Photo Credit: Steven Bedard
