PORT ANGELES — Melissa Miner of the University of California-Santa Cruz will talk Tuesday about sea star wasting syndrome as part of Olympic National Park’s winter speaker series.
Those attending will learn what impact the disease is having on these key marine predators, as documented by long-term surveys and citizen-science monitoring.
The disease can cause a mass die off among starfish.
The first symptom is the formation of lesions, followed by the decay of flesh around the lesions. The body structure then begins to break down, leading to the sea star’s death.
Research done in last year during a large die off along the West Coast showed the cause is a microorganism the size of a virus. The syndrome has impacted sea stars in the wild as well as those in tanks, aquariums, marine science centers and zoos.
Tuesday’s free talk begins at 7 p.m. at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center, 3002 Mount Angeles Road, in Port Angeles.
Seating is limited. Refreshments provided by Friends of Olympic National Park.
The ONP speaker series will conclude April 14 with a program on how the park’s Blue Glacier is responding to climate change.
