Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project

What’s the easiest way to do your part and make a HUGE impact on our backyard reef?

Visit an AZA-Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project facility near you!

What is the Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project?

The AZA-Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project (AZA-FRTRP) is an AZA member-driven coral rescue and conservation network focused on the rescue, housing and future propagation of Florida corals affected by stony coral tissue loss disease. The AZA-FRTRP is a project within the AZA SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) Coral Program.

Why was the FRTRP created?

In summer 2018, following the development of the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Response Team network and while the Florida Coral Rescue Plan was being developed, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission identified AZA member facilities as the only U.S. entities having the skills, expertise and resources to receive and manage Florida corals rescued from the Florida Reef Tract as part of the plan’s coral rescue activities. AZA created the FRTRP in response to that invitation in November 2019.

Who is the FRTRP?

The FRTRP membership includes 20 zoos and aquariums managing 19 rescue coral holding facilities located in 14 U.S. states, including Disney, The Florida Aquarium, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, and SeaWorld. These four facilities in Florida provide leadership to the network of coral holding facilities.

The AZA-FRTRP collaborates with several non-AZA accredited rescue coral holding facilities, and over 50 additional AZA-accredited facilities, commercial partners, universities, community colleges, state and federal agencies contributing to the support and success of Florida coral rescue.

Rescue Coral Caregiver Spotlight

SARA SPANGLER, SEA WORLD ORLANDO & FLORIDA CORAL RESCUE CENTER

“It’s a HUGE deal to have hundreds of threatened corals in my care; knowing they depend on me and my coworkers for everything.” That’s how Sara Spangler describes the responsibility she feels for the Florida rescue corals in her care. Sara is a Senior 1 Coral Biologist for the Florida Coral Rescue Center (FCRC), a coral rescue facility in Orlando, made possible by a partnership between Sea World, Disney Conservation, the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida (FWFF), the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and NOAA Fisheries. “But, I don’t let the physical and emotional pressure get to me, because I know that I am working with intention and care. I don’t rush through tasks, as that potentially leads to mistakes.” This balanced approach to her work is made possible by her passion for yoga and her personal battle against burnout and stress. Since 2021, in addition to her coral conservation work, Sara has been a yoga instructor and a stress and burnout coach, guiding specifically women through techniques to reduce their need to “go, go, go”.

Sara strives to keep her balance every day. She keeps her glass-half-full, positive attitude even when the stakes are high by remembering to do three things every day, throughout the day:

1) Practice Gratitude

Find at least three things every day and throughout the day for which to be grateful. Being on the lookout for these things, keeps you looking for the positive side of your current situation.

2) Listen to Motivational Speakers

Surrounding yourself with people who lift you up causes you to see things in a different way. When you think positive and look to the future, your energy changes.

3) Move Your Body

Exercise is great for you, physically and mentally. Finding something you enjoy will keep you doing it. For example, don’t run if you hate running. Enjoy a brisk walk if that is what you enjoy doing.

Sara envisions a world where the corals that are spawned at the FCRC, are back out on the reef, rebuilding it, and supporting a healthy, balanced ecosystem. Given her enthusiasm for yoga, we asked Sara to create a yoga pose based on coral. She created the “Polyp Pose”.

Thank you, Sara, for your optimism, and SeaWorld for partnering with other organizations dedicated to rebuilding our backyard reef, Florida’s Coral Reef. The Florida Coral Rescue Center was created in 2019 and is one of the largest coral rescue centers in the country.

What is the AZA-FRTRP Children's Literature Initiative?

The Children's Literature Initiative is a collaborative project focused on bringing coral conservation to children. The Initiative has digitally publish a four-book series focused on Florida corals and coral rescue for young readers.

Through the adventures of the series main character, Bellaroca (Pretty Rock), the books explore what corals are, the importance of coral reef ecosystems to our oceans, and survival challenges coral reefs are facing. They celebrate the work being done to ensure coral reefs survive for generations to come.

The Bellaroca stories come to life against the backdrop of Florida’s Coral Reef through the imaginations of AZA-FRTRP Project Coordinator, Beth Firchau, and the illustrations of SEALIFE Orlando Curator, Kelli Sparks.

Book 1: Happy Reefs

Book 2: How Corals Build Reefs

Book 3: The Day the Reef Changed

Book 4: Making the Reef Healthy Again

Digital publication of the books is a collaboration between the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project and Unite for Literacy.

The digital series is narrated in English. The entire digital series is available free to readers through the Unite for Literacy website.

LINK TO VIRTUAL BOOKSHELF

Please share this link with family and friends.

What is the FRTRP’s conservation impact?

Since early 2019 AZA-accredited facilities across the country have been working together and with Florida State and Federal agencies, universities and coral conservation groups to rescue nearly 2000 corals and provide safekeeping of them in facilities across the country.

The essential care and health management provided by AZA facilities to rescued corals is the foundation of efforts creating a future for Florida's Coral Reef. That future would not be possible without the work of our AZA facilities.

Today, the the AZA-FRTRP is pivoting to support State, Federal and NGO coral reef restoration practitioners to create a future for Florida's Coral Reef. While remaining committed custodians and caregivers to over 78% of all corals rescued, AZA-FRTRP facilities are now working to support propagation of rescued corals. Rescue corals are being managed as brood stock to produce a new generation of corals to be placed back on the reef in restoration efforts across Florida's Coral Reef.

To learn how you or your institution can help bring hope to Florida's Coral Reef contact the FRTRP Coordinator, Beth Firchau.

How does the FRTRP support the Florida Coral Rescue Plan?

The AZA-FRTRP provides support in the following ways:

Manages a national network of coral biologists, professional aquarists, veterinarians, field scientist that work to develop the science, technology and resources necessary for optimum long- term care and welfare of rescued Florida corals.
Collaborates with international coral conservation entities to ensure strong communications about the disease, the response and what is needed for the rescue plan’s success.
Facilitates the recruitment of material resources, funds, and technology to sustain and enhance coral holding operations at AZA-FRTRP member facilities.
Provides a conduit of international exchange and support to promote timely and efficient response to the disease in other affected regions.

Resource Hub

Florida Coral Reef Government Partners