SeaWorld Orlando has opened its first and all new Coral Rescue Center to park guests

It is one of the largest public-facing facilities dedicated to coral conservation in the country.

The center provides an important way to view living corals up close, learn more about conservation, and understand the steps everyone can take to make a difference in ocean health.  Park guests to the new center marveled today at the hundreds of living coral colonies and 15 different species – many of which are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.  The center is part of SeaWorld’s ongoing commitment to coral conservation as the private and public sector come together to help save the Florida coral reef.  The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida is the partner of the coral rescue center initiative.

The center’s corals were selected and transferred from the Florida Coral Rescue Center (FCRC) to the SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center for world-class care with the goal of being returned to the Florida reef as part of state and national restoration efforts. The reef is suffering from the devastating effects of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) – a highly lethal disease with a mortality rate of up to 100 percent. More information here.