Florida’s big chill may have hammered corals near shore

Early reports from rare cold bleaching offer hope offshore

Rough weather is slowing efforts to survey the extent of Florida’s first cold-weather coral bleaching event in 33 years. But reports so far find heavy damage in parts of reefs near shore.

LOST IN THE COLD This staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis, transplanted as part of an ongoing restoration effort) was so stressed by Florida’s January cold spell that tissues lost their live-in algae and turned bleached white.