Progress – Florida Aquarium
Go from tree level to sea level while being educated and entertained at The Florida Aquarium! See lemurs, sharks, rays, river otters, sea turtles and much more. Discover the wonders of the natural environment and learn about the animals that call it home. See how The Florida Aquarium's research, conservation and education outreach efforts make a difference right here in Tampa Bay and beyond!
The Florida Aquarium currently leads three comprehensive Conservation Programs: Coral Conservation, Sea Turtle Conservation, and Shark & Ray Conservation Programs
Find our more about their conservation efforts here:
Coral Breakthrough!
The Florida Aquarium has made coral reproduction history several times! In 2020, they were the first to reproduce and film larvae of the Ridged Cactus Coral and in 2019, they were able to induce spawning of several species of Atlantic coral in a laboratory setting! These ground-breaking, globally recognized, advancements facilitate our ability to increase the genetic diversity of coral offspring, conduct vital health research to improve coral care and husbandry techniques, and scale up coral propagation rates. Visit their Coral Conservation page here and watch these short video to learn more...
Coral Reef Restoration and Conservation Efforts - 5:18
"The Florida Aquarium has made a breakthrough that will help save "America's Great Barrier Reef," the third largest coral reef in the world. For the first time in world history, the aquarium in Tampa, Florida has successfully reproduced ridged cactus coral in human care." - CNN - Read the article here and see footage below.
Cactus coral spawning - 1:42
Protect and Restore together - 1:45
Florida Aquarium's Coral Reef - 1:25
Want to dive in deeper?
To learn more about the Florida Aquarium's research and fascinating facts about corals, visit their Coral Conservation Program and watch the SEA-SPAN episodes below:
SEA-SPAN Episode 14: Coral Conservation with Keri (25:50)
SEA-SPAN Episode 27: Cactus Coral Spawning with Emily (11:27)
Activity
Click here for the Coral Cupcakes Challenge - a fun (and delicious) activity for kids!
Objectives are that students will be able to:
- name the basic parts of a coral polyp
- demonstrate understanding that a coral reef is a large colony of coral polyps
- describe variations within reef habitats
- cite why corals are so important to the ocean
Any questions? Please let us know and we'll do our best to get them answered during the Q&A session October 10th!
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