See how the Moody Gardens coral rescue lab protects the Flower Garden Banks reef off Galveston, raising corals to help replenish reefs. Plan your visit.
Tucked inside the Aquarium Pyramid at Moody Gardens is a working coral rescue lab where our team raises and protects corals from one of the healthiest reefs on Earth. It is part of a national effort to safeguard the Flower Garden Banks, a stunning reef roughly 100 miles off the coast of Galveston, and you can learn the story behind it on your next visit.
The Moody Gardens coral rescue lab is a land-based nursery where corals from the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary are raised in safe, optimal conditions. Working alongside NOAA and partners like the San Antonio Zoo, the lab keeps corals healthy so they can one day help replenish the reef.
Coral reefs are some of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Countless animals rely on them, not only for homes but also for food and a safe place to raise their young. Reefs also protect shorelines and support populations of commercial fish, which means their health touches everyone, not just those of us living along the coast.
That is why Moody Gardens partnered with NOAA and the San Antonio Zoo to bring corals from the reef into nurseries on land. Here, the team can grow them and keep them safe so that, eventually, they can go back out onto the reef where they belong.
About 100 miles off the coast of Galveston sits the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, a beautiful coral reef and one of the healthiest in the world. What makes it special is its depth. Because it is a deeper reef, the corals stay cooler a little longer, which has helped them remain healthy even as oceans warm.
Unfortunately, reefs everywhere are facing real dangers. Rising ocean temperatures make it harder and harder for corals to survive, and the Flower Garden Banks is starting to see that same warming trend. Land-based nurseries give these corals a safe backup, ready to help if a disease outbreak or bleaching event ever strikes.
The rescue effort is collaborative, and a recent morning at the lab showed it in action. Our team carefully gathered about 70 corals into coolers, moved them upstairs, and loaded them into a van bound for the San Antonio Zoo, which is opening a brand-new coral lab very soon. A handful of corals stayed behind at Moody Gardens, where our team will keep growing them.
The goal across all of these labs is the same: build up enough healthy corals in land-based nurseries that we can replenish the reef if something ever happens to it. The more facilities working together, the stronger that safety net becomes.
When you explore the Aquarium Pyramid, you are seeing more than beautiful marine life. You are seeing conservation in action. Moody Gardens has long been committed to protecting the animals and ecosystems of the Gulf, and the coral rescue lab is one of the clearest examples of that mission at work. It is a great reminder that a day at Moody Gardens supports real efforts to protect our oceans.
The coral rescue lab is part of the conservation work happening behind the scenes at the Aquarium Pyramid, located at One Hope Boulevard in Galveston, Texas. The Aquarium Pyramid is open year-round, and a Day Pass or Aquarium ticket gives you access to explore. For current hours and the best value on multiple attractions, check ticket and package options before you go.
Ready to experience the wonder of the Gulf up close and support conservation that matters? Buy your Aquarium Pyramid tickets today and see why Moody Gardens is one of Galveston's most beloved destinations.
As a photographer, it’s important to get the visuals right while establishing your online presence. Having a unique and professional portfolio will make you stand out to potential clients. The only problem? Most website builders out there offer cookie-cutter options — making lots of portfolios look the same.
That’s where a platform like Webflow comes to play. With Webflow you can either design and build a website from the ground up (without writing code) or start with a template that you can customize every aspect of. From unique animations and interactions to web app-like features, you have the opportunity to make your photography portfolio site stand out from the rest.
So, we put together a few photography portfolio websites that you can use yourself — whether you want to keep them the way they are or completely customize them to your liking.
Here are 12 photography portfolio templates you can use with Webflow to create your own personal platform for showing off your work.
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