Sea cucumbers protect coral reefs. Sea cucumbers benefit coral reef health Coral reefs worldwide have lost approximately half their living cover since the 1950s, with scientists documenting a devastating 14 percent decline in just the past decade. However, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have discovered an unlikely guardian that could help save these underwater ecosystems: the sea cucumber. These cylindrical marine creatures, which belong to the same group as starfish and sea urchins, might hold the key to coral reef survival. In research conducted...