Beneath the waves of Key Largo, staghorn coral have spawned in mass since a 2023 bleaching event that left marine biologists worried over the reefs’ future.

The once-a-year phenomenon can happen only on a select few days, and lasts only a few minutes. It’s difficult to predict, and relies on a delicate, aphrodisiacal mixture of temperature, tide, and Lunar phase.

But to the relief of the members of the Coral Restoration Foundation working on their staghorn coral nursery, the coral came through, with female members filling the water with eggs, and males with sperm, until the whole of the nursery appeared like a snow globe.

“If we see viable eggs, then it means that all of the other basic life needs of the coral must be being met, Alex Neufeld, Science Program Manager at the Coral Restoration Foundation, told the Miami Herald. “It means our colonies are healthy and that we’re doing something right.”

However, much like the most endangered animal species, the foundation considers the spawning too precious a moment to leave to the mercy of the waves. Recent coral bleaching events have created spaces between reefs, reducing potential for genetic diversity, while a strong gust of wind could send a large cloud of the eggs or sperm veering off course, and the opportunity to reproduce would be lost.

So descending into the water at night, the Miami Herald team watched as marine biologists carefully examined the coral until they were ready to spawn. Kept under nets, they captured the sperm and eggs for cultivation onboard a research vessel operated by Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, which was involved in the project.

“We have to keep it really even, to give everybody a chance. We’re really just trying to increase our chance of settlers that will be able to actually contribute to this new genetic diversity, which builds more resilience,” said Shayle Matsuda, an ecologist on Shedd’s boat.

By last Tuesday, when the Herald joined the project, the spawning had increased in fecundity. Wednesday was even more prosperous, with dozens of samples taken, and the scientists were even more hopeful about Thursday.

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Reef researchers across the world are now experimenting with cross breeding of corals in captivity to try and create more heat-tolerant genotypes. Some reefs, for example one in Honduras, demonstrate remarkable resilience to warming seas.

Some of the staghorn samples collected over Key Largo will be sent to these breeding initiatives, while others will be used to expand the reefs where they were collected.

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In even better news, the Coral Restoration Foundation’s staghorn nursery wasn’t the only one that spawned. Another, managed just 200 meters north, also spawned and was also collected by another marine nonprofit, called Renewal USA.

America has long been the global standard for protecting its most beautiful wild places, and while Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks are indeed the envy of the world, the nation and its scientists don’t skimp on our reefs either.

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