WEBVTT

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Coral reefs and ocean habitats 
are experiencing

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a number of challenges right now.

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We've had a lot of coral losses,
unfortunately,

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and experts fear it's about to get worse.

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Ocean temperatures have 
surged past old record highs,

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the coral teetering on 
their tipping point.

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But there have been certain individuals

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who have survived these heating events
and these disease events.

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And we want to take those corals
and preserve them for future research

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and also to outplant them again

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on the reef when it is safe to do so.

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And there's a chance
that a few or even hundreds of them

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will be the next generation of our reef.

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We also have other researchers here
who are dealing with crab research

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in order to focus on the herbivory

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on the reef,

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because algae growth is out of control.

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The algae has taken over that open
real estate

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that was left open by the loss of coral.

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These grazers or crabs

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and urchins and snails play maintenance.

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They are the cleanup crew.

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So what we're about to do is feed them.

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This is one of the many algaes that we
hope for them to clean off of the reefs.

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And we're essentially going to show you

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how good of grazers they are.

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The crabs, they will come in
and they'll eat all of that algae.

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And so they are perfect for what
we're trying to do to offset

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the damage done of too much algae
taking up space.

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This is one of our females.

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They are growing crabs
and helping crabs reproduce

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so that we are doing a team effort
to help better restore corals.

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When we go to the reefs
and we put the coral out

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and we put the crab out ,
they can go out there and try to rebuild

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in this newer way.

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Working with organizations
like NOAA is essential

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to further innovations for coral research.

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Every one of us has different ideas
that we bring to the table

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and different specialties.

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Mote does a fantastic job

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of employing a vast array of scientists.

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What we are doing now
can give the reef the building blocks

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to help itself in the future.

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We are just trying to give it that head
start to allow the corals

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to come back on their own
and reproduce naturally in the wild.