Two Florida coral species — staghorn and elkhorn — have been declared "functionally extinct" after an unprecedented ocean heat wave drove near total collapse across the state's reefs.
What's happening?
Research published in the journal Science reveals that staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) and elkhorn (Acropora palmata) corals suffered catastrophic mortality following a 2023 marine heat wave that pushed Florida's reef temperatures to their highest levels in more than 150 years.
The Guardian noted that more than 52,000 coral colonies were analyzed across nearly 400 sites, and researchers found mortality rates reaching 98% to 100% throughout the Florida Keys. Even in the slightly cooler waters of southeast Florida, more than a third of the colonies died.
These species were already weakened by decades of disease and polluted runoff, but last year's heat proved overwhelming.
"We're running out of time," warned lead author and marine biologist Ross Cunning, per The Guardian.
He noted that extreme ocean heat waves are becoming increasingly frequent and severe, and that without major action to reduce warming and strengthen coral resilience, more extinctions are likely.
This marks the ninth major bleaching event documented on Florida's reef system — a pattern in which extreme heat causes corals to expel the algae that feed them, leaving them ghost-white and vulnerable until they ultimately die.
Why is this loss so concerning?
The collapse of these corals is more than an environmental tragedy; it's a direct threat to human communities.
Coral reefs help support fish species that feed coastal families, support local economies through fishing and tourism, and provide a natural buffer that softens storm surge before it reaches neighborhoods.
Elkhorn corals, in particular, once formed dense, wave-breaking structures that acted like underwater fortifications, reducing the impacts of hurricanes and flooding.
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Around the world, scientists surveying other vulnerable species — from endangered marine mammals to near-extinct fish populations — are reporting similar patterns of accelerating loss, underscoring that this is part of a much wider crisis for ocean life.
What's being done about it?
In Florida, scientists and conservation groups are working urgently to preserve what remains.
They are growing fragments of surviving corals in ocean- and land-based nurseries, preserving the genetic diversity of the few remaining individuals, and deploying nursery-raised corals onto degraded reef sites.
Restoration teams are actively outplanting these corals and tracking their performance through monitoring programs that include tagged genotypes and survival surveys.
Community matters, too. Reducing local water pollution, supporting clean-energy policies, and getting involved in conservation work can boost reef resilience and slow further damage.
Coordinated action — from habitat restoration to community-led stewardship — has helped struggling species rebound in surprising ways.
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