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Coral species return to Florida Aquarium after evacuation from hurricanes

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Published  November 20, 2024 11:02pm EST
Hillsborough County
FOX 13 News

Corals returned after hurricane evacuation

FOX 13’s Jordan Bowen reports on dozens of coral species returning to the Florida Aquarium's Coral Conversation and Research Center in Apollo Beach after they were evacuated to Georgia during Hurricanes Milton and Helene.

APOLLO BEACH, Fla. - It was a special homecoming on Wednesday for some important Florida wildlife. Dozens of coral species are now back in the Florida Aquarium's care after being evacuated during Hurricanes Milton and Helene.

They play a critical role in the ecosystem and the Florida economy.

White coolers packed with sensitive Florida animals bring a sense of normalcy back to the Florida Aquarium's Coral Conservation and Research Center in Apollo Beach.

Coral Conservation and Research Center at the Florida Aquarium.

Coral Conservation and Research Center in Apollo Beach.

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"It's exciting to get these guys back. We do get pretty attached to our colonies, so it was sad to see them go, even though we knew they were going to a really safe place," The Florida Aquarium Senior Coral Biologist Emily Williams said.

Inside the coolers are different species of coral colonies. Each is unique, with its own shape and color, but all do the same important job for Florida's ecosystem.

"People are attracted to Florida for our beautiful beaches, our beautiful diving, our fishing. All of that depends on the coral reef," Williams said. "It protects our shorelines from erosion, from hurricane storm surges. It provides habitat for fish that are important for sport fishing to fisheries, to provide food." 

Workers man the colony farm at the Florida Aquarium's Coral Conversation and Research Center in Apollo Beach.

Workers man the colony farm at the Florida Aquarium's Coral Conversation and Research Center in Apollo Beach.

That's why studying and protecting them is so important. Last month, before hurricanes Helene and Milton, scientists at the center packed up more than 4,000 corals to be safe from any storm impacts and drove them to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, where they've spent the last few weeks being cared for.

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"This evacuation effort took a lot of coordination and a lot of teamwork. It was a lot of logistical maneuvering because we have to use a lot of water to make sure that the corals are safe and comfortable," Williams said.

On Nov. 20, researchers carefully unloaded all the coral to be put back in these water tanks. This is where they're grown and bred for biologists like Williams to research, which she says is imperative for environmental stability.

Workers unload dozens of coral species at the Coral Conservation and Research Center in Apollo Beach after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Workers unload dozens of coral species at the Coral Conservation and Research Center in Apollo Beach after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

"Our research is very limited underwater. So, having them here allows us to do a lot more observations and understand more about them," Williams said. "We're also able to spawn them to create babies, which increases genetic diversity. So hopefully, we can find colonies that are more heat resistant and disease resistant and that can survive in our changing world."

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