![]() ![]() Elkhorn marks the aquarium’s 14th species spawned inside the Apollo Beach lab, but the team ranks it as its most important yet. O’Neil’s colleagues call her the “coral whisperer” because she has managed to spawn so many varieties of coral. “This is a critical step to preventing elkhorn coral from going extinct in the state of Florida.” ![]() “When it finally happened, the first sense is just sheer relief.” said Keri O’Neil, the senior scientist that oversees the Tampa aquarium’s spawning lab. Which is why scientists were thrilled when they saw their reproductive experiment was a success. This species - so important because it provides the building blocks for reefs to flourish - has been until now notoriously difficult to grow in aquariums. But, just as other vital coral ecosystems are degrading around the world, elkhorn are now rarely seen alive in the wild. It’s a historic step forward, and one they hope could help revitalize Caribbean ecosystems and could pay humans back by offering extra protection from the fury of hurricanes.Įlkhorn coral once dominated the Caribbean. Scientists at the Florida Aquarium have made a breakthrough in the race to save Caribbean coral: For the first time, marine biologists have successfully reproduced elkhorn coral, a critical species, using aquarium technology.
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