Building Coral Conservation CAP-acity

Building Coral Conservation CAP-acity

When the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) partnered with the State of Florida in 2018 to rescue thousands of corals from Florida’s Coral Reef ahead of the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease, we knew it wouldn’t be a quick effort. It would be a marathon.

And early on, one thing became clear: the biggest challenge wouldn’t just be saving corals—it would be building the human expertise needed to care for them.

Corals are unlike almost any other animals aquarists work with. Caring for them requires a unique blend of skills and knowledge. Successful coral specialists must understand organisms that function in many ways like animals, plants, and minerals all at once.

To help build that expertise, AZA’s Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project (FRTRP) launched the Coral Aquarist Program (CAP). Led by Mitch Carl of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, a working group of thirteen AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, universities, and government agencies developed the program and welcomed its first class in 2023.

Three years later, coral science has advanced, husbandry knowledge has grown, and the demand for skilled coral aquarists, both in the United States and across the Caribbean, continues to increase. That means the CAP needs to grow and evolve as well.

Recently, thirteen members of the CAP working group representing nine FRTRP partner organizations gathered in Omaha, Nebraska to help shape the program’s next chapter. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium hosted the meeting, while Georgia Aquarium sponsored a week-long deep dive into the program’s curriculum and administration.

The team reviewed feedback from CAP graduates, trainers, and auditors and incorporated the latest advances in coral science and husbandry. Together they worked to:

• Update the CAP course manual

• Improve the flow of the in-person training phase

• Expand hands-on learning opportunities

• Strengthen the program for coral professionals working in conservation settings

  
  

The group also trained a new cohort of instructors—an important step that will allow CAP to graduate more students each year starting in 2026.

We’re grateful to the partners who helped make this work possible:

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium , Georgia Aquarium , Florida Coral Rescue Center, The Florida Aquarium, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Butterfly Pavilion, Blank Park Zoo and SEA LIFE Orlando.

Of course, it wasn’t all work. The team managed to mix in some fun along the way. Take a look at the snapshots below for a glimpse of the teamwork and camaraderie that helped build coral conservation CAP-acity. Working TOGETHER we can achieve great things!