Coral Rescue

We are honored to be a recipient of Zoo Miami Conservation and Research Fund's 2021 conservation grant to go to our Coral Rescue program. Zoo Miami Conservation & Research Fund was created to promote efforts toward conservation of wildlife and natural ecosystems throughout the world. Support from Zoo Miami will be used to continue our work of restoring 22 million square feet of coral reef in the Coral Triangle.

to one of our first visits to the Philippines when Brent Andersen, CEO, helped instruct the team and construct the first PVC trees for the nursery.

How can I get involved in coral reef restoration projects? From the Florida Keys to Fiji, there are plenty of ways to help make a positive impact on coral reefs around the world. Here are six projects to get involved with on your travels.

Here's what's current in ! From 2018-2020, nearly $8.7 million was spent on coral conservation AND over $3.1 million was spent on coral research, primarily targeting habitat preservation and restoration, reproductive biology, and biotic surveys. 🌊

The Living Planet Arts & Culture Festival begins today, with chalk artists on the plaza all weekend! Watch them create beautiful works of art and then explore the Aquarium. The fun continues next week where we'll have live performances and food trucks every evening from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. All Arts & Culture Festival activities are included with regular Aquarium admission or a membership.
(Image: artist uses chalk to draw an otter on the plaza walkway)

When a branching stony coral like this Acropora is suspended, the branches grow rapidly in all directions.

Our coral nursery in Panglao propagates two different kinds of stony coral: Acropora and Poccilipora, also known as Staghorn and Cauliflower coral.

Some species of 'stony' corals grow in a branching structure that starts as a single shoot once it finds a secure place to grow. As it gets taller, the shoots start to grow 'branches' and continues to form a bush-like shape.

Coral farming actually began around 25 years ago as a business strategy for the aquarium coral trade, but thanks to their success, coral propagation on 'trees' like this has proven to be an unparalleled asset for coral restoration around the world.

to when our team gathered to anchor the first tree of one of our nursery sites.

Some corals are soft and move like a plant as the water flows around it.

The tree-like structures that hold our coral fragments are one of the safest methods for coral farming because the corals are largely unaffected by strong storm action or other damaging forces that may occur normally. Previous techniques included growing corals on submerged tires or cement structures, but these can result in coral losses after strong storms.

Coral reefs are in decline across the globe. Learn how you can help at coralrescue.org

Corals can grow very rapidly in the right conditions. Here our team takes photos to record the coral growth.

Corals come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Some corals are rigid while others are soft or frilly.

A fragment of coral that has been broken or separated from the colony will not always die. If it has an opportunity to re-anchor or re-attach to a sturdy substrate (like another rock or reef base,) it has a chance of survival. This is because a coral is made up of thousands of small individual animals that are capable of growing new coral structure.

Harmons Grocery Stores, a Utah-based company that is a Loveland Living Planet Aquarium partner, recently interviewed Brent Andersen about the genesis of the Coral Rescue project. Listen to the podcast for free at https://link.chtbl.com/ywDgbzrw

Taste of Harmons Podcast Join Harmons in our exploration of what’s new and trending in food, the stories behind local products, traditions of cuisine, and so much more as we interview a team of food experts through The Taste of Harmons.

How do coral reefs begin to form? Drifting coral larvae can attach to rocks or other stable surfaces where they begin to grow and build the 'skeleton' of limestone that is their home (likely the shape you visualize when you think of coral). Coral outcroppings like these can develop into a large thriving reefs.

This is some beautiful Pocillopora, or Cauliflower coral, growing on our nursery tree. The sturdy structure of this coral's 'skeleton' gives it an advantage in areas where wave action is moderate.

New 'trees' in our nurseries are anchored into the sea floor with enough line to allow the trees to float where there is good sunlight and mild current so the fragments have the best chance for growth. As you can see, anchoring the trees involves a bit of skill as a diver.

Coral reefs are a delicate ecosystem that are home to a quarter of all marine life. Today is World Reef Awareness day, an opportunity to share your knowledge and concern for coral reefs with your friends and family. Together, we can help protect the world's reefs by reducing single-use plastics and using reef-safe sunscreen. Learn more about how you can help the Aquarium restore coral reefs at coralrescue.org

Many of our corals like this acropora, have been 'outplanted' on nearby reefs. Our hope is that our corals will thrive and support the other organisms that live in reefs throughout the Coral Triangle.

You could still be our 6 millionth guest! We can't wait to welcome the lucky winner of a gift basket with special Aquarium souvenirs ($250 value), a one-year Family Plus Membership, and a TWO-YEAR lease on a 2021 Ford Escape SE AWD. Hurry in soon!
Presented by Wasatch Front Ford Dealers
Terms and conditions at thelivingplanet.com/sixmillion

Coral reefs do more than provide stunning views for divers. They affect wave action, protecting beaches and coastlines, and they strengthen populations of other organisms by providing shelter and food.

Planting a healthy coral fragment on a nearby reef requires careful control. The coral is attached with a special cement, and a small tag is attached with the date so we can continue to monitor the coral's growth.

Take a look at what one of our coral nursery trees looks like in the middle of our coral farming process. When a thriving coral fragment reaches the appropriate size, it is re-fragmented (this does not harm the coral) in order to propagate more fragments for more trees. This is one of the most successful methods of growing healthy corals quickly. To learn more about how you can support coral restoration visit coralrescue.org.

When our coral fragments are healthy and grow large enough, they will be segmented into smaller pieces (this does not harm the colony) in order to propagate more colonies. With time, the cycle of growth and fragmentation on a coral nursery tree can produce hundreds of strong corals with the end goal of being 'replanted' on a wild coral reef.

A Blue velvet nudibranch was spotted near our coral nursery! Nudibranchs are mollusks, though they shed their shells after the larval stage, and are commonly called sea slugs. Nudibranchs are common in coral reefs, but may take effort to spot when they aren't traversing a patch of sand like this.

Here one of our divers in Panglao cares for the coral and measures its growth. It is rewarding to see the fragments grow and thrive on the coral trees. If you'd like to support this effort, please visit coralrescue.org

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Cleaner shrimp and anemone shrimp often live in corals, anemones, or sponges for protection and easier access to a food source. Some of them, like the one pictured here, can be nearly colorless and translucent. It is a solid strategy for camouflage.

One of the best parts of maintaining a coral nursery is being able to observe these amazing organisms up close.

In rough conditions, new coral growth can take a long time, and it will be a long time before conservation efforts like ours may be seen on a global scale. One a fragment is large enough to be 'outplanted' on a reef, it is our hope that it will continue to thrive and contribute to the health of that reef. Learn more about how you can support coral reef conservation by visiting coralrescue.org