Palm Beach Zoo & Loggerhead Team Up To Save Local Reefs

Through October 2026, the teams are running what's called Disturbance Response Monitoring, or DRM for short. Think of it as an annual physical for the Reef. Divers check how much healthy Coral is out there while watching for bleaching and disease. It's careful, unglamorous work, but it's part of what scientists and managers need to understand about how Reefs are coping as ocean temperatures climb.

You’ve felt it; we all have. The summers are hot and while the water is cooler, marine life is extremely sensitive to even the most minor fluctuations. It’s a bit like when you and your family fight over the thermostat because even one degree makes all the difference in how comfortable we feel.

This is the Zoo's eighth summer in a row conducting these surveys. But what's new this year is diving alongside Loggerhead's dive team for the first time with these surveys. This diverse relationship is building on a Coral restoration trip the two teams took together to the Florida Keys this past spring.

“Oceans provide at least 50% of the oxygen we breathe. For every other breath we take, we have the Ocean and Marine Life to thank. Florida’s Coral Reef is both an ecological treasure and an economic powerhouse, but it is vulnerable to what happens on land and in our warming waters,” said Michael Terrell, Director of Wildlife Conservation Impact and Coral Conservation Coordinator at Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society.

“As summers grow hotter, Florida is at risk of losing one of its most important natural defenses against Hurricanes. Florida’s Coral Reef protects more Coastal Infrastructure than any other reef system in the world, while also sustaining countless jobs and supporting the seafood on our plates,” said Joanna Walczak, Vice President of Conservation at Loggerhead Marinelife Center. “By joining Palm Beach Zoo for these surveys, we are putting more eyes on our local Reefs when they are most vulnerable and raising awareness about what is at stake if we do not protect and restore them.”

Why This Matters

After decades of decline, the Corals that build Florida’s Coral Reef can no longer recover on their own. Without sustained investment in restoration, monitoring, and water-quality protection, Florida risks losing an $8.5 Billion economic engine that shields coastal communities, supports local jobs, and protects the way of life that defines our state.

That is why this collaboration matters. Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society and Loggerhead Marinelife Center bring decades of hands-on conservation experience to the Reef, combining divers, data, scientific expertise, and public education to better understand and respond to coral stress when Reefs are most vulnerable.

Florida’s Coral Reef does quiet, heavy lifting every day. It helps support Marine Life, buffers storm surge before it reaches beaches and homes, and sustains the fishing, diving, and tourism industries that generate billions of dollars for Florida’s economy. Protecting the Reef is not only an environmental priority; it is an investment in public safety, coastal resilience, and Florida’s future.

Now is the time to act. State leaders, local communities, businesses, and residents must support sustained Coral restoration funding, reduce land-based sources of Pollution, and champion science-based Reef protection. Every investment made today helps give Florida’s Coral Reef a fighting chance tomorrow.

Three Easy Ways You Can Help

Reef health isn't just decided underwater. A lot of it comes down to choices made on land. While the Palm Beach Zoo & Loggerhead carry out surveys, there are ways we can make a difference from home:

• Ask your local, state, and federal elected officials to support sustained funding for restoration of Florida’s Coral Reef.

• Wear Reef-Safe Sunscreen, free of Oxybenzone and Octinoxate, two ingredients known to harm Coral.

• Go easy on the fertilizer, especially during rainy season, to help keep polluted runoff out of our waterways and the ocean.

Reefs are resilient, and with consistent monitoring, community action, and partnerships like this one, the Zoo and Loggerhead are hopeful that Palm Beach County's Corals can continue to recover and thrive for generations to come.

About Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society

For over 50 years, Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society has connected visitors to wildlife through personal animal encounters across 23 lush, tropical acres. The Zoo participates in AZA Species Survival Plan programs, contributing to breeding and recovery efforts that support healthy populations of rare and endangered species. Its impact reaches beyond the gates, inspiring guests to take action for wildlife in the wild. Learn more at: www.palmbeachzoo.org.

About Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC)

Loggerhead Marinelife Center, located in Loggerhead Park, Juno Beach, Florida, is a Sea Turtle Research, Rehabilitation, Education, and Conservation Center. The Center also manages the Juno Beach Pier across the street from the park. Established in 1983, LMC seeks to promote conservation of ocean ecosystems with a special focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. Its facilities include a Sea Turtle Hospital, a research laboratory, and exhibit areas, including Live Sea Turtles and other coastal creatures. LMC has been named the No. 1 “Best Free Attraction” in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2024 and 2025.

Learn more at: www.marinelife.org