LIVE UNDERWATER MIAMI REEF WEBCAM

More info: The Coral City Camera provides a fish-eye view into the urban marine ecosystem that has developed around the human-made shorelines of Miami. The camera was installed by Coral Morphologic who are leading creators of innovative underwater media chronicling Earth's imperilled coral reefs. Coral Morphologic was founded in 2007 by marine biologist Colin Foord and musician J.D. McKay in Miami. The webcam is located along the eastern shoreline of Port Miami at a depth of 3mtrs. Not only does it show the amazing diversity of marine life but it also serves as a tool to monitor the health and wellbeing of the water and coral species.

Some of the fish species visiting this urban reef include parrotfish, pufferfish, West Indian manatees, stingrays, nurse sharks, lemon sharks, blacktip sharks, great barracuda and angelfish.

The Coral City Camera also serves as a valuable scientific tool to monitor the health and wellbeing of this habitat, in a non-invasive fashion. Coral Morphologic are also working with Rescue-a-Reef from the University of Miami to use the site to identify the hardiest genotypes of staghorn and elkhorn corals that have been propagated in their offshore nursery in Biscayne National Park.

Staghorn coral as the name suggests resembles in appearance the antlers of a male deer. It is able to form dense groups called “thickets” which can be up to five feet high and more than 30 feet across. Staghorn coral colonies are golden tan or pale brown with white tips and they get their colour from the algae that live within their tissue. Staghorn Corals live on coral reefs throughout the Bahamas, Florida and the Caribbean.

Elkhorn coral is so named for the antler-like shape of its colonies. It was formerly one of the most common corals on reefs throughout its range. Both staghorn coral and elkhorn coral are critically endangered due to disease, pollution, coral bleaching, and storm damage.

Additional information:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission myfwc.com
Florent's Guide To The South Florida Reefs reefguide.org
Corals - Treasures of the Ocean roceano.org