# Hidden colony of 18 giant sea stars found off California coast 2026-08-13T07:48:21+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Scientists have discovered 18 sunflower sea stars (Pycnopodia helianthoides) off the California coast, the largest and southernmost surviving population found since a disease wiped out more than 99 percent of the species a decade ago. The colony was located in June 2025 during a diving expedition led by researchers from Sonoma State University. The sunflower sea star is a ravenous predator that once controlled populations of purple sea urchins. Without them, urchins exploded and destroyed more than 90 percent of West Coast kelp forests by 2017. Researchers at the University of British Columbia recently identified a strain of the bacterium Vibrio pectenicida as the cause of the 2013 die-off, which was worsened by marine heatwaves. The discovery of the hidden colony offers a chance to breed the species in captivity and restore the kelp ecosystems. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: California coast, conservation breeding, kelp forest, marine heatwave, sea star wasting disease, sunflower sea star Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/hidden-colony-of-18-giant-sea-stars-found-off-california-coast/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/hidden-colony-of-18-giant-sea-stars-found-off-california-coast/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.