With coral reefs dying at an alarming rate, the nationally recognized San Antonio Zoo is trying to do its part to protect ocean life.
The zoo is expected to open a new 937-square-foot state-of-the-art laboratory that will focus on coral conservation, research, restoration and education, according to a statement released on Friday. Dubbed the Brewer Ocean Conservation Lab, the facility will work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to cultivate and study corals and to help restore damaged coral reefs..
“Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse and threatened ecosystems worldwide and are vital to the planet’s ecosystem,” San Antonio Zoo CEO and President Tim Morrow said in a statement. “Rising ocean temperatures, pollution and disease have devastated reefs globally.”
Indeed, 14% of the world’s coral was lost between 2009 and 2018, according to a 2021 report from the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network. The report also suggests a decline of 70%-90% of the world’s coral will take place by 2050 if current ocean warming trends continue.
The San Antonio coral restoration program will be part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Saving Animals from Extinction program, which aims to grow corals that will then be reintroduced off the Texas coast, at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and in other locations abroad.
“With this incredible addition to the zoo, we can showcase our work with corals from the Texas coast and the world to visitors,” Morrow said.
The $750,000 facility is named after the late San Antonio College geology professor R.P. Brewer III, and it was made possible by a donation from his family.
“Honouring our father, R.P. Brewer III, through this lab will merge his passion for discovery with the zoo’s mission to protect wildlife,” the Brewer family said in a statement. “We hope this space will spark joy, wonder, and stewardship in every visiting guest.”
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This article appears in Aug 21 – Sep 2, 2025.
