Scientists say they have solved the mystery of what killed more than 5 billion sea stars

In a major breakthrough, scientists have finally identified the cause of a devastating marine epidemic that has killed billions of sea stars along the North American Pacific coast since 2013. The culprit is a bacterium, Vibrio pectenicida, which is in the same family as the one that causes cholera in humans.

For years, a lack of knowledge about marine animal diseases made it difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the widespread die-off. This disease, which affects over 20 different species, causes the sea stars to develop lesions and lose their arms. The discovery by a team of Canadian and U.S. researchers now offers hope for understanding and potentially addressing this significant ecological crisis.

AP News