Mysterious marine disease pushes sea urchins to brink of extinction in canary islands

A devastating marine pandemic is decimating sea urchin populations in the Atlantic, with some species facing complete extinction after a mysterious disease swept through their habitats. New research reveals the catastrophic impact on Diadema africanum, an ecologically crucial sea urchin species that plays a vital role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems.

Since 2021, this unknown pathogen has wreaked havoc across the Canary Islands, virtually wiping out entire populations of these marine creatures. The numbers are staggering: Tenerife has experienced a 99.7% population collapse, while the nearby Madeira archipelago has lost 90% of its sea urchin communities. Some locations have seen complete population extinctions, marking a potential ecological disaster in the making.

The timing and scale of this die-off has alarmed marine biologists, as Diadema africanum serves as a keystone species in Atlantic coastal ecosystems. These spiny creatures help control algae growth and maintain the delicate balance of marine food webs. Their near-complete disappearance could trigger cascading effects throughout the ocean environment, potentially affecting fish populations, coral health, and overall marine biodiversity.

What makes this crisis particularly concerning is that scientists still don’t know what’s causing the mass mortality. The rapid spread and high fatality rate suggest a highly contagious pathogen, but researchers are racing against time to identify the disease before more populations are lost forever. This marine pandemic highlights the vulnerability of ocean ecosystems to emerging diseases and the urgent need for better monitoring of marine health.