Emerging Threat: Global Decline of Sea Urchin Populations

A silent ocean pandemic is wiping out sea urchins worldwide, likely driven by an unknown pathogen. This crisis has reached the Canary Islands, where unprecedented mass mortality has been observed, resulting in historic population lows.

Key reef grazers are facing near-total reproductive collapse, which poses a significant threat to marine ecosystem stability. The alarming decline of sea urchin populations highlights the urgent need for marine conservation efforts to address this emerging threat.