The Florida Aquarium’s Coral Conservation and Research Center in Apollo Beach is enjoying a coral baby boom.
At the aquarium, biologists are spawning thousands of new symmetrical brain coral and boulder brain coral, both critical to the future of Florida’s coral reef.
Over the next two years, the aquarium aims to grow 5,000 baby corals and produce hundreds of thousands of coral larvae.
This comes after the spawning parent corals were rescued from the reef to protect them from the effects of stony coral tissue loss disease.
The juvenile corals will be shared with partners like I.CARE to support coral restoration efforts in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Kristin Jacobs Coral Aquatic Preserve in southeast Florida.
“These new corals represent a lifeline for Florida’s reef,” said Keri O’Neil, director of the coral conservation programme for the Florida Aquarium.
Protecting Florida’s coral reef
She added, “We’re thankful to the [Florida Department of Environmental Protection] for making this work possible.
“Their support is helping us not only spawn more corals – we’re building hope for the reef and for future generations.”
In Florida’s coral reef, rising ocean temperatures are putting stress on corals, making them more vulnerable to disease and bleaching.
Without thriving coral reefs, home to more than a quarter of all marine life, marine biodiversity declines.
Thanks to funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Aquarium is also expanding its Coral Conservation and Research Center.
“We’re not just growing corals – we’re growing conservation capacity,” said Debborah Luke, senior vice president of conservation at the Florida Aquarium.
“By sharing our methods, data, and coral offspring with partners, we’re creating a ripple effect that will help strengthen reef restoration around the world.”
The Florida Aquarium has also collaborated with the University of Miami to revive Florida’s coral reefs via genetic research and cross-fertilisation.
Images courtesy of the Florida Aquarium
