Elkhorn coral

Photo: Ryan McMinds · CC BY

Elkhorn coral was once the dominant reef-building coral of the Caribbean, forming dense thickets from the surface to 5 metres that provided structural habitat for countless reef species. White band disease in the 1980s wiped out over 97% of Caribbean populations, and subsequent bleaching events prevented recovery. Sandy Point's marine park represents one of the region's most significant partial recoveries — branching colonies reaching arm-span size are a genuine rarity in the contemporary Caribbean. Critically endangered. Their return is ecologically transformative, as elkhorn thickets are breeding and nursery habitat for dozens of economically important fish species.