Sea stars off the nation’s eastern and western coasts are dying in large numbers and in the most undignified ways. Their colorful limbs are curling up at the tips. Squiggly arms are detaching from dying bodies like tails from lizards and wiggling until they also drop dead. Ulcers are opening holes in tissue, allowing internal organs to ooze out.

Video
This time lapse shows a quarantined sea star over a seven-hour period. Living in the Vancouver Aquarium, this sea star was exhibiting symptoms similar to the early stages of the mysterious wasting outbreak observed in nearby waters.

This time lapse shows a quarantined sea star over a seven-hour period. Living in the Vancouver Aquarium, this sea star was exhibiting symptoms similar to the early stages of the mysterious wasting outbreak observed in nearby waters.

Graphic
Dying sea stars: Sea star wasting syndrome is devastating populations of the creatures.
Click Here to View Full Graphic Story

Dying sea stars: Sea star wasting syndrome is devastating populations of the creatures.

Marine scientists say the sea stars are under attack by an unknown wasting disease that turns their bodies to goo, and the results are gruesome, nasty and grisly.

All along the Pacific coast, sea stars are experiencing […]