As Florida’s Elkhorn coral faces heat threat, marine scientists are racing against time to prevent one of the state’s most iconic reef-building coral species from disappearing. Following the devastating 2023 marine heatwave, which wiped out 90% of Florida’s elkhorn and staghorn corals, researchers at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science have launched an emergency conservation effort. Divers have removed dozens of elkhorn corals from offshore nurseries and transferred them into temperature-controlled holding tanks on land until ocean conditions improve.

The rescued corals represent some of the last surviving genetic lineages of a species now considered functionally extinct in Florida, meaning its remaining wild populations can no longer reproduce at a level sufficient for natural recovery.

Emergency Rescue to Preserve a Critically Endangered Species

On Wednesday, a team of University of Miami divers carefully collected elkhorn corals from offshore nursery sites, packed them into coolers, and transported them to land-based holding facilities. The operation aims to protect the remaining healthy coral fragments from another summer of extreme ocean temperatures.

According to Dalton Hesley, a coral expert at the Rosenstiel School, the rescued corals represent the last remaining founders of Florida’s wild elkhorn population.

“These are the last remaining pieces of this species,” Hesley said, emphasizing how close the coral is to extinction.

The rescued corals will remain in controlled tanks until cooler ocean temperatures return in the fall, after which scientists plan to reintroduce them to offshore nurseries.

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Lessons Learned from the 2023 Coral Bleaching Crisis

The emergency action follows the catastrophic bleaching event of 2023, when record-high ocean temperatures combined with coral disease caused widespread mortality across the Florida Keys reef tract.

• Researchers acknowledged that the previous event highlighted the need for earlier intervention.
• Instead of waiting for another bleaching event to unfold, scientists decided to proactively remove vulnerable corals before prolonged exposure to warming seas could cause irreversible damage.
• However, a small number of elkhorn corals have intentionally been left in offshore nurseries to monitor their survival under natural conditions, providing valuable insights into future restoration strategies.

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Building More Climate-Resilient Coral Reefs

As Florida’s Elkhorn coral faces heat threat, researchers are also exploring innovative restoration techniques to improve the species’ resilience.

• Last year, University of Miami scientists planted hybrid elkhorn corals created by combining Florida and Honduran coral genotypes.
• Since Honduran elkhorn corals have demonstrated greater tolerance to high water temperatures and pollution, researchers hope these hybrids will strengthen Florida’s future reef populations.
• The current rescue effort involves 30 distinct coral genotypes collected over several years from Broward County to the Lower Florida Keys, preserving valuable genetic diversity for future restoration.

Scientists believe the corals that survive repeated heat stress may naturally possess greater resilience, increasing the likelihood of establishing self-sustaining reef populations in the years ahead.

Key Facts About the Coral Rescue Mission

A Race Against Time for Florida’s Reefs

Florida’s coral reefs support marine biodiversity, coastal protection, fisheries, and tourism, making their survival critical for both the environment and the state’s economy. By safeguarding the last remaining elkhorn coral genotypes and investing in climate-resilient restoration, researchers hope to give this iconic species a fighting chance against increasingly warming oceans.

While the challenge remains immense, the current conservation mission represents one of the most important efforts yet to preserve Florida’s coral reef ecosystem for future generations.

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