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Title: Coral Tree. Cayman Islands
Filename: CAY17_am-12913.jpg
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Fragments of elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) and staghorn coral: Acropora cervicornisgrowing, hung on coral propagation tree, as part of a coral conservation nursery project. East End, Grand Cayman. Cayman Islands, British West Indies. Caribbean Sea.
Background: For the last two million years, branching elkhorn and staghorn coral has been a dominant shallow reef building species across the Caribbean. Then about 35 years ago things changed. These once abundant species died off to such an extent that it is now rare or even extinct over much of its former range. US waters are the best studied, and there the coverage of this species declined by 98% during the 1980s. Thatâs pretty typical for the region and this species is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Background: For the last two million years, branching elkhorn and staghorn coral has been a dominant shallow reef building species across the Caribbean. Then about 35 years ago things changed. These once abundant species died off to such an extent that it is now rare or even extinct over much of its former range. US waters are the best studied, and there the coverage of this species declined by 98% during the 1980s. Thatâs pretty typical for the region and this species is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
- British West Indies
- Caribbean Sea
- Cayman Islands
- conservation
- coral reef
- East End
- Grand Cayman
- staghorn coral: Acropora cervicornis
- tropical
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