Coral Conservation

The Aquarium is currently participating and supporting conservation research that improves wildlife populations of coral, sharks, ocelots, and sea turtles.

In this section, we will be exploring coral reefs and how they are changing in today’s ocean. We are joined by coral scientist Dr. Keisha Bahr, who will be taking us through her journey of becoming a marine biologist, showcasing her coral research at the Aquarium, and taking us along to Hawai’i to explore coral reefs in the ocean.

Coral Research with Dr. Bahr

Have you ever wondered how the changes that are occurring in the oceans are impacting coral reefs? The Texas State Aquarium is partnering with Dr. Keisha Bahr, Assistant Professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi, and will be joining Dr. Bahr in her research to understand how these changes are affecting corals and how corals grow under different environments.

Coral Research at The Aquarium

Dr. Bahr partnered with the Texas State Aquarium to develop a coral card unique to the 15 types of coral reef species found inside the Aquarium and the Gulf of Mexico. A zoo or aquarium has never created an index for coral health up until this point. 

Following Dr. Bahr to Hawai'i

We’ll travel to the Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology in Honolulu with Dr. Bahr and her lab to learn more about the research happening across the country! We’ll talk about the goals of the expedition, the experiments taking place and learn more about coral reefs.

Back from Hawai'i!

Dr. Bahr and her lab are BACK from their winter experiments in Hawai’i! In this video, you’ll learn more about how the Bahr Marine Ecology Lab processes the coral samples that were brought back from Hawai’i and how they use that data for their research.

More on Processing Coral and Data

Coming back from Hawai’i, the Bahr Marine Ecology Lab will need to process the coral samples and processing data to learn more about how these corals are growing under different chemistries of ocean acidification. You’ll also hear from a variety of students who are currently doing research in the lab!

LIVE from O'ahu, Hawaii January 11, 2024

Join the Texas State Aquarium LIVE from O’ahu, Hawaii to explore the impact of ocean changes on coral reefs with Dr. Keisha Bahr, Assistant Professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Learn more about coral growth in diverse environments and explore our Coral Conservation Series. This series of educational videos, featured on our website, highlight our conservation partnerships and initiatives, as well as Dr. Bahr’s journey in coral science. As we conclude our three-year collaborative project in O’ahu, we aim to deepen our commitment to coral conservation awareness.

Coral Conservation Series

Dive into the coral reef systems of Coconut Island, Hawaii and learn how a local scientist is making an impact on the way we learn how corals grow in varying conditions.