Rescue a Reef Program

// Some of our favorite shots of summer beneath the surface! 🌊

Take a peek at our reef through the lens of our Canon USA Coral Conservation Student Fellows! Swipe to take a look at some of our top summer shots!

Ready to see it for yourself? Visit the link in our bio to join us on the water! 🪸

🎨: Audrey Friedman Audrey Friedman , a UM Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science Canon Coral Conservation Fellow

// Elkhorn rescue update! 🪸
 
Have you been keeping tabs on our coral rescue? What started as an effort to protect our Elkhorn corals became a story that reached 500 million people!
 
With ocean temperatures exceeding coral bleaching thresholds, our UM Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science team moved Elkhorn coral colonies from our underwater nursery to Coral Reef Futures Lab land-based facility. Since arriving last week, the Coral Reef Futures team has kept these corals happy, healthy, and cool. Once ocean temperatures begin to lower, they’ll be returned to the underwater nursery to grow!
 
A huge thank you to The Associated Press (AP) , Miami Herald , NBC 6 South Florida , WLRN Public Media CBS News Miami , and WUSF for helping us share this story!
 
Want to learn more about the rescue mission? Visit the link in our bio to read the full story! 🔗

// Day in the Life of a Canon Coral Conservation Fellow 📸🪸

Follow along with UM Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science students Delaney, Audrey, and Maeve as they take you through a day at Rescue a Reef program !

No two days are ever the same in the Canon USA Coral Conservation Fellowship! Whether they’re conducting BleachWatch surveys in the field, caring for corals in the lab, creating educational content, or supporting community outreach events, each day brings a new opportunity to learn new skills and support coral reef conservation! 🌊

// The Fight to Protect our Coral Reefs🪸💪

Protecting coral reefs takes collaboration. Through the combined efforts of Rescue a Reef and Rock The Ocean’s joined we are making big strides to protect Florida’s Coral Reef while inspiring others ocean advocates along the way.

Everyone can make a difference in protecting our reefs. For more information on how to help, read our “12 Ways to Help” through the link in Rescue a Reef’s bio.

// Where did all the coral go?

Coral reefs around the world face large scale decline due to pressure from development, pollution, disease, and most importantly, increasing ocean temperatures.

For day 2 of Coral Reef Awareness Week, we’re collaborating with Rock The Ocean 🌊 to highlight the threats facing coral reefs and why protecting them is more important than ever.

Want to join the effort? Become a BleachWatch Observer through Friends of Our Florida Reefs (FOFR) 🪸

🎨 : Delaney McEvoy, Canon USA Sr. Coral Conservation Fellow UM Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science

// What is a coral reef? 🪸

Coral reefs are some of the most important but overlooked ecosystems on our planet. They support incredible biodiversity, protect our coastlines and provide economic benefits to communities around the world!

This Coral Reef Awareness Week, Rescue a Reef and Rock The Ocean are teaming up to highlight the importance of coral reefs and what we can all do to protect them. 💪

Follow along all week as we dive into the world of coral reefs! 🤿🌊

\\ Every coral outplanted onto the reef is a step toward healthier oceans... but not every reef resident is cheering us on. 🐠🐠

From curious butterflyfish to chomping parrotfish, some reef fish see newly outplanted corals as an easy snack. While grazing is a natural part of a healthy reef ecosystem, it can make life a little harder for young corals getting established.
That’s why we use temporary coral guards (our little “umbrellas”) to give vulnerable corals a better chance to settle in before they’re left to thrive on their own.

Restoration isn’t just about planting corals, it’s about giving them the best possible shot of a long healthy life. 🪸🪸