A mysterious disease is killing off the West Coast's enormous sunflower sea star, so researchers have launched an ambitious effort to breed this species in captivity.
Dennis Wise/University of Washington
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toggle caption Dennis Wise/University of Washington
On an island off the coast of Washington state, scientists have resorted to breeding sunflower sea stars in a lab. It s a desperate attempt to save the endangered animals from disappearing completely. Dennis Wise/University of Washington
Jason Hodin hauls up a rope that s hanging from a dock in the waters off San Juan Island in the Pacific Northwest. At the end is a square, sandwich-size Tupperware container, with mesh-covered holes in the sides to let water flow through. Hodin pulls off the lid and peers inside at some crushed bits of shell. He points to some reddish-orange dots.
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On an island off the coast of Washington state, scientists have resorted to breeding sunflower sea stars in a lab. It s a desperate attempt to save the endangered animals from disappearing completely.
Jason Hodin hauls up a rope that s hanging from a dock in the waters off San Juan Island in the Pacific Northwest. At the end is a square, sandwich-size Tupperware container, with mesh-covered holes in the sides to let water flow through. Hodin pulls off the lid and peers inside at some crushed bits of shell. He points to some reddish-orange dots. See that? That little dot right there in front of my finger? Hodin says. That s a juvenile sea star that s about a month old.
To Save A Huge, 24-Armed Sea Creature, Scientists Become Loving Foster Parents wbur.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wbur.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.