Underwater Camera in Miami Reef Captivates Global Audience

An underwater camera positioned off the coast of Miami has fascinated millions globally, offering a real-time glimpse into the vibrant life of a coral reef that thrives amidst one of the world's busiest ports. Known as the Coral City Camera, this project has been streaming uninterrupted live footage of the coral ecosystem in Biscayne Bay since 2019.

Marine biologist Colin Foord spearheaded this initiative, which has amassed over 3.7 million views on YouTube, functioning as an "open-air aquarium" that merges science, art, and environmental awareness, according to NPR. The camera is strategically placed in a bustling channel of the Miami port, approximately 150 feet from the cruise and recreational boat pathways.

From this vantage point, a remarkable variety of species are visible: nearly 20 different types of stony corals, tropical fish, squid, and even sharks. Regular viewers have become familiar with specific animals, such as "Lisa, the lemon shark with a Mona Lisa smile," NPR highlighted. The live stream operates 24/7, with volunteer moderators notifying the audience of interesting sightings, ranging from manatees to rare marine creatures.

One of the project's most astonishing revelations is the resilience of these "urban corals." Despite the global coral bleaching events in 2023 caused by rising ocean temperatures, the corals in this Miami locale showed minimal impact. Utilizing daily video captures, Foord has crafted what is considered the world's longest underwater time-lapse, documenting both the demise and regeneration of corals during this climatic event.

This information has piqued the interest of NOAA, the U.S. government’s scientific agency, which is now investigating these organisms for their genetic potential to withstand climate change. "Not only do they survive where other species perish, but they might also help us restore more resilient reefs in the future," explained Ian Enochs, an ecologist with NOAA.

Foord and his team at Coral Morphologic, a laboratory blending science and art, are focused on breeding these resilient corals in controlled settings. By simulating solar and lunar cycles, they aim to induce spawning and then transplant juvenile corals to new reef areas, including a seven-mile-long artificial reef project near Miami Beach set to launch this summer. "We want people to fall in love with corals, to see them as fascinating and worth protecting," Foord asserts. For millions peering into this underwater window, it seems to be working.

In contrast, the massive die-off of the ecologically vital Acropora palmata species was confirmed in August at the Desembarco del Granma National Park. The Eastern Center for Ecosystems and Biodiversity (Bioeco), based in Santiago de Cuba, reported on Facebook that its specialists documented this tragic event during a recent survey.

In 2023, Cuban scientists eradicated the first-known appearance of the invasive white coral species Unomia stolonifera, discovered in September 2022 in Bacuranao Bay, east of Havana. This species, believed to have arrived from Venezuela, was confined to a mere square meter of the ocean floor, 11 meters deep, attached to a layer of encrusting red algae, as revealed by a scientific study cited by the Cuban Science Network (Redcien). However, the study and conservation of corals remain a significant concern for the regime, despite acknowledging limited resources for such scientific efforts.