SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — One of California’s most important marine predators is making a return to Santa Barbara, giving visitors a rare opportunity to see a species scientists hope will one day recover in the wild.
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center has welcomed endangered sunflower sea stars as part of an effort to educate the public about the species’ role in maintaining healthy coastal ecosystems.
Known for their striking appearance, sunflower sea stars can have between 16 and 24 arms, making them one of the largest sea star species in the world…