Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium have announced that several colonies of mountainous star coral that were restored to the wild have been observed releasing eggs and sperm, with a total of seven colonies spawning over a two-day period in August.
The aquarium has worked to restore this key reef-forming species by reintroducing disease-resistant corals that reproduce faster than they normally do in the wild. To induce spawning, which happens when corals reach a certain size rather than age, small fragments of live coral are fused to a larger dead head of coral and create a colony that would otherwise take decades to form.
Already, the restored mountainous star coral colonies have survived 2015 bleaching event, Hurricane Irma in 2017 and a 2019 tissue loss disease outbreak. Other marine biologists in the state of Florida have expressed excitement over the discovery, which shows it may be possible to restore self-sustaining coral colonies into the wild.
More information from the link below:
Mote researchers observe restored corals spawning near Florida Keys for first time
The aquarium has worked to restore this key reef-forming species by reintroducing disease-resistant corals that reproduce faster than they normally do in the wild. To induce spawning, which happens when corals reach a certain size rather than age, small fragments of live coral are fused to a larger dead head of coral and create a colony that would otherwise take decades to form.
Already, the restored mountainous star coral colonies have survived 2015 bleaching event, Hurricane Irma in 2017 and a 2019 tissue loss disease outbreak. Other marine biologists in the state of Florida have expressed excitement over the discovery, which shows it may be possible to restore self-sustaining coral colonies into the wild.
More information from the link below:
Mote researchers observe restored corals spawning near Florida Keys for first time
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miles off the coast from the Venice Fishing Pier on Halloween. She was weighed down by an abundance of epibiota (typically parasitic organisms that live on other living organisms) and showing signs of anemia (a condition where the blood lacks healthy red blood cells) and low blood glucose, Clarice was swiftly brought to Mote's Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital for care! Once she arrived, it became evident that Clarice was suffering from what was suspected to be debilitated turtle syndrome, a condition where turtles become lethargic and anemic. She was placed in a rehab pool with shallow water, gradually adjusting to her surroundings. Despite her weakened state, Clarice showed a spark of resilience by eagerly foraging on capelin and squid. In the following days and weeks, Clarice's condition improved steadily Clarice's progress has been remarkable. After 
