Scientists at the Florida Aquarium have made a breakthrough in saving Caribbean corals. as he wrote CNNThey were the first to successfully reproduce elkhorn corals, a critically important species, using aquarium technology.
This is a historic step forward, and marine biologists hope it will help revive Caribbean ecosystems.
The coral elkhorn once ruled the Caribbean. But like other vital coral ecosystems around the world, corals, also known as “staghorns”, are now rarely seen alive in the wild. This species – crucial as it provides the building blocks for reefs to thrive – has been very difficult to grow in aquariums until now.
“When it finally happens, the first feeling is just relief,” said Keri O’Neill, senior scientist who runs Tampa Aquarium’s spawning lab. This is an important step towards preventing the extinction of staghorn corals.
Previously, the coral population decreased from human feces.