SEATTLE — The Seattle Aquarium is growing its own coral reefs, although slowly and very methodically, for future exhibits.
Some of the corals already are on display at the aquarium’s new coral nursery exhibit.
KIRO 7 got an up-close and behind-the-scenes view of the yearslong effort.
In a backroom farm, staff work daily growing the corals that were cut from larger, more mature colonies on display.
“So yeah, to use kind of a gardening analogy: You know one of the nice things about corals is that you can take a cutting, just like you would with a plant, and as long as you put that in an appropriate environment ... it will grow into its own colony,” Andy Sim said.
However, to grow a reef takes a lot of patience, KIRO 7 was told. Coral colonies only grow about an inch or two in diameter every year.
Many of the corals eventually will fill exhibits at the aquarium’s new 50,000-square-foot Ocean Pavilion set to open in 2024.
Cox Media Group
