Coral babies head to Florida Keys to help restore dying reefs

Around 1,050 coral babies generated and raised in the Florida Aquarium are directed to the Florida Keys, where they are planted in the reef or nourish in nurseries.

Key West, Florida – More than 1,000 young corals raised in the Tampa Florida Aquarium are directed to the Florida Keys, offering a possible lifeguard to the coral reef system in danger.

The Aquarium coral conservation team of Florida said it transports approximately 1,050 minors of coral, born in 2022 or 2023, to the keys, where they will be planted in a reef or will be placed in conservation nurseries.

The objective of the effort is to help revitalize the coral reef system, which has been devastated by marine heat waves recently.

“The summer of 2023 was devastating for the population of Coral de Floridas Elkhorn,” said Keri O’Neil, director of the Aquarius Coral Conservation Program. “Coral youth that we are transferring today are composed of many new combinations of mother and father who hope to be more resistant to future stressful factors. Without human intervention, these parents of parents could not be capable of loss.”

The matrix colonies of these coral babies were originally tasks of the Florida Coral Arrecife and took the Florida Aquarium before the 2023 massive bleach event.

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Marine experts say that when water temperatures are heated too much, algae produce toxins that are possible by the coral.

The thermal stress begins when water temperatures reach the upper 80s, but in some areas, especially around the keys, the 90 degree or warmer temperatures are not uncommon.

A survey conducted by the International Reef of Coral initiative estimated that global whitening events affected approximately 84% of coral reefs in 2023 and 2024.

“2023 was a really devastating year for Elkhorn Coral. Only 37 are left in the Florida coral reef, so we really hope that babies teach us something that corals can survive through heat waves,” Saint. “This choir transfer gives us the hope that we can begin to rebuild a population of Elkhorn coral that can be stronger and have a better opportunity to survive in the future.”

Florida coral reef map

(NOAA)

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Once in the Keys marine laboratory, the corals slowly acclimatized the environment before distributing to local restoration partners.

“We are very excited to see them finally go to the ocean and have the opportunity to help rebuild the Florida coral reef,” O’Neil said.

The data collected through the process will guide future reproduction efforts and identify what descendants of coral are more likely to survive.