Elkhorn Coral

Photo: Ryan McMinds · CC BY

Buck Island harbors one of the Caribbean's largest surviving elkhorn coral stands, a species that once dominated shallow reefs throughout the basin but declined by over 90 percent since the 1980s due to disease, bleaching, and hurricane damage. The branching antler-like structures provide the primary three-dimensional habitat complexity that supports the reef's exceptional fish diversity. Recovery of elkhorn at Buck Island has been documented following successive bleaching events, suggesting this population may carry heat-tolerance adaptations worth studying for broader reef restoration programmes.