We bring a lot of visitors out on St. John charter boats in search of this region’s natural wildlife. Although the turtles, rays and tangs get a lot of attention, they simply wouldn’t exist were it not for the region’s robust coral reefs that provides a habitat for millions of aquatic creatures.
Changing climate and weather patterns have given these reefs a drubbing in recent years, but now a new study suggests they may be hardier than previously suspected, with the potential to repopulate over time:
Researchers discovered a threatened coral species that lives in deeper waters off the U.S. Virgin Islands is more fertile than its shallow-water counterparts. The new study showed that mountainous star corals (Orbicella faveolata) located at nearly 140 feet (43 meters) deep may produce one trillion more eggs per square kilometer (247 acres) than those on shallow reefs. The findings from scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and the University of the Virgin Islands have important implications for the future of coral reefs worldwide.
Our boat tours through St. John and St. Thomas boast endless postcard vistas for everyone to enjoy, and this news only deepens our resolve to appreciate the area’s natural gifts. If you’d like to find a charter boat in St. John today, call Sonic Charters.