Sunflower Sea Star Crisis and Legal Battle

A giant sea star is vanishing — and the federal government is being sued for failing to act. The sunflower sea star, once abundant and vital to kelp forest health, has plummeted by 90% since 2013 due to a deadly wasting disease. Environmentalists accuse NOAA of illegally delaying protections, missing a critical 12-month deadline under the Endangered Species Act. Scientists now blame a bacterium worsened by warming waters, while recovery efforts like captive breeding offer cautious hope. With the species functionally extinct in California, time is running out to save this marine keystone. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/fbffaf17b463cddd