Coral reefs are symphonies of nature. Each member plays a unique and essential role.
Even in this community of exquisite players, corals themselves stand out. Rock? Plant? Alien? Corals can resemble any of these. Yet they are, in fact, animals.
Slowly and masterfully, in tropical and temperate waters, corals grow. They form colonies and, in some cases, large reefs—structures that many other animals adapt into hiding places and homes. In total, around one in four ocean animals makes their home in a coral reef.
The vibrant tropical reefs of the Coral Triangle inspired our new Ocean Pavilion—coming soon to the waterfront. And right now, corals you’ll encounter at the Ocean Pavilion are growing at our offsite Animal Care Center, tended to by skilled teams.
In the wild, coral populations are fragile and disappearing at astonishing rates because of human-induced climate change and ocean acidification. To avoid impacting wild populations, we help the corals in our care reproduce asexually through a process called fragmenting or propagation.
Enjoy a sneak peek at these marvels. And when the Ocean Pavilion opens, come see them in person. We can’t wait to inspire you with the beauty of coral reef ecosystems and stories of how people are working to protect them.
Immerse yourself in our coral portraits
