The California coast is in crisis. From devastating wildfires to toxic algal blooms and mounting plastic pollution, our marine ecosystems face unprecedented threats. For endangered species like the sunflower sea star, giant sea bass, and tidewater goby, science, advocacy, and education can save these animals from extinction.
This Giving Tuesday, Summer Fridays is matching every donation to Heal the Bay, up to $10,000! Your gift not only protects the science, education, and advocacy needed to tackle the mounting threats facing our coast — it also protects some of our most endangered species.
Meet Heal the Bay’s Animal Ambassadors
On Giving Tuesday (December 2) at 12 pm , we’re going live on Instagram for a special Behind-the-Scenes with Our Animal Ambassadors. Join us for an inside look at our giant sea bass, sunflower sea star, and tidewater gobies, and learn how your support helps protect endangered species along our coast.
The Sunflower Sea Star
The sunflower sea stars are one of the bay’s most important apex predators. But after sea star wasting devastated populations in the 2010s, they’re now functionally extinct in California.
At Heal the Bay Aquarium, we are honored to care for one of only two sunflower sea stars in captivity in the entire state. Her story is one of resilience and of the power of advocacy, as she plays a vital role in groundbreaking repopulation research.
Protecting this sea star means protecting the policies and advocacy that could help save her species.
Support the Sunflower Sea Star
The Giant Sea Bass
Giant sea bass are the largest bony fish along California’s coast—growing up to 9 feet long and weighing as much as a full-sized grizzly bear. They can also live to 75 years old! Overfishing in the early 1900s pushed them to the brink, and today they remain critically endangered.
Gordita, our resident giant sea bass, is one of Heal the Bay Aquarium’s most beloved ambassadors. Each year, she helps thousands of local students discover how protecting our coastline creates ripples far beyond the water.
The Tidewater Goby
Tidewater gobies are tiny but mighty endangered fish that play a big role in the food webs of California’s marshes, lagoons, creeks, and estuaries. Despite their resilience, they’ve been severely impacted by coastal development, habitat degradation, and the alteration of natural water flows.
After the 2025 wildfires contaminated the waters of Topanga Creek, Heal the Bay Aquarium helped rescue a group of tidewater gobies from toxic conditions. We cared for them until their habitat recovered, and most have now been safely released back into the wild. Our team continues to care for the remaining gobies and is working to help strengthen and restore this fragile population.
Through our partnership with Santa Monica College, students in the Sustainable Aquaculture Certification Program are being introduced to these rescued gobies — learning how conservation aquaculture can support endangered species recovery.
Protecting at-risk species starts with science: the research, monitoring, and restoration work Heal the Bay uses every day to safeguard our coastal watersheds and the animals that depend on them.
Science-Based Solutions That Work
For 40 years, Heal the Bay has pioneered the science, advocacy, and education that defend and restore our coastline and watershed:
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- Water Quality Monitoring: Regular testing identifies pollution hotspots, tracks emerging threats like harmful algal blooms, and provides data that drives policy changes.
- Restorative Aquaculture: Breeding programs and habitat restoration help vulnerable species recover while scientists learn what these animals need to thrive in changing ocean conditions.
- Policy Advocacy: From plastic reduction to climate resilience strategies, science-informed advocacy ensures that regulations reflect the needs of our communities, wildlife, and ecosystems.
- Education Programs: When students connect with marine life through hands-on experiences, they become the advocates and scientists who’ll protect these species for decades to come.
Why This Moment Demands Action
Federal protections for endangered species and critical habitats face ongoing challenges. Meanwhile, climate change and disasters accelerate.
When funding disappears, so do the knowledge, data, and community relationships that make conservation work. Despite mounting challenges, we remain optimistic. The endangered species that call Southern California’s coast home can recover, but only if the work protecting them continues.