Coral (Staghorn)

About the Coral (Staghorn)

Once the dominant reef-building coral of the Caribbean, now critically endangered with 97% population decline since 1970. They grow up to 20 cm per year, among the fastest-growing corals. Their branching structure provides habitat for thousands of species. They are being restored through coral gardening - growing fragments in nurseries and transplanting them. Ocean acidification dissolves their calcium carbonate skeleton. They reproduce by synchronous spawning and fragmentation. They were the first coral species listed under the US Endangered Species Act. Restoration efforts show promise but warming oceans remain the primary threat.