Renowned marine ecologist to speak at Orcas Island Public Library

Wednesday, May 20, 6 p.m., Orcas Island Public Library

||| FROM SAM GAILEY for ORCAS ISLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY |||

How Salish Sea Stars are Faring in our Ocean’s Menagerie
Join renowned marine ecologist Drew Harvell for a fascinating look beneath the surface of our local waters. Harvell and her research team have spent more than a decade investigating the mysterious disease devastating sea stars along the Pacific Coast. Now that the team has identified the killer in our waters, Harvell will share what they’ve learned, what it means for the Salish Sea, and where the research goes from here.

Harvell will also discuss local examples from her new book, The Ocean’s Menagerie: How Earth’s Strangest Creatures Reshape the Rules of Life, which explores the astonishing world of spineless sea creatures—from glow-in-the-dark jellyfish to super-strong sea stars to nudibranchs that steal their own defenses.

Harvell is a renowned marine ecologist and professor emerita at Cornell University. She recently relocated to the West Coast, where she serves as an affiliate faculty member at the University of Washington and conducts research at Friday Harbor Laboratories.

This free program is presented by Orcas Island Public Library in partnership with The SeaDoc Society.