Photo of the day

With their distinctive antler-like branches inspiring their unusual name, Elkhorn corals are a vital reef-building species that faced a devastating disease event in the early 1980s, leaving just 5-10% of its former cover intact in the Caribbean sea. Whilst these majestic corals remain critically endangered, Elkhorns are known to develop at a (relatively) speedy pace, reaching up to 10 centimeters each year — that’s about the same rate of growth as human hair!