Over the past two years the population of starfish has decreased due to a mysterious disease in the US Pacific coast. However, a recent increase of young starfish arouses hope that the population number can be restored , reports Discovery Portal. According to the researchers, despite this encouraging news, it is early to conclude that the disease is defeated. The spread of disease on Pisaster ochraceus species, is of a huge concern, as that type plays a great role in the marine ecosystem. The increase of young starfishes does not happen because of fertility or migration increase, but rather because low death rate among the younglings. The question is whether they will be able to avoid the disease and restore their vitality when they grow older, explains Bruce Menzhe, marine biology professor at Oregon State University. It is possible that younger settlers are viable because of the fact that they can get more food after a vast numbers of adult starfish had been decimated.

The epidemic has spread from Alaska to Mexico . Scientists are trying to understand the cause of disease . One of the theories is that it happened because of the rise of water temperature. However, the latest recent research has not revealed any connection between water warming temperature and disease. Another theory suggests that the disease is infectious. The other assumption is that the epidemic is connected with increasing acidity of ocean waters , due to the greenhouse effect and other human activities.