In Bonaire, Cultivating New Hope for Critically Endangered Coral

In another historic breakthrough for Bonaire’s reefs, Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire (RRFB) has successfully collected spawn from the critically endangered pillar coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus) for the first time.

The delicate process, which took place last week, marks a lifeline for a species teetering on the edge of functional extinction. The young corals will be transferred into underwater nurseries, where they will be monitored closely before eventually being returned to the reef.

Pillar coral populations on Bonaire have suffered steep declines in recent years, devastated by the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease and back-to-back marine heatwaves. The result has been just a handful of scattered colonies—many too far apart to reproduce naturally.

Often called the “canary of the reef,” pillar coral is among the first species to show stress from ocean change. Without human intervention, scientists warn, it risks disappearing from Bonaire altogether—something that has already happened in Florida and other parts of the Caribbean.

“Helping pillar corals reproduce here is more than just a milestone for us—it’s a lifeline for a species that is vanishing from Bonaire’s reefs,” said Cheyenna de Wit, RRFB’s Lead Restoration Technician.

The achievement underscores the importance of active coral restoration efforts, particularly for species most vulnerable to warming seas. While local measures like improving water quality are essential, conservationists say they are not enough on their own to protect highly threatened corals.

Research increasingly shows that techniques like coral breeding and fragmentation—the foundation of RRFB’s work—can boost resilience. Recent studies have found that heat tolerance can be passed from parent corals to their offspring, and that young, lab-reared corals often withstand bleaching better than their wild counterparts.

RRFB already produces tens of thousands of young corals each year. In addition to last week’s success with pillar coral, the group produced 56,000 staghorn coral larvae and more than 26,000 young grooved brain corals earlier this year.

Hotels on Bonaire (like the famous Buddy Dive) have been pioneers in this movement as well, with several leading resorts partnering with RRFB to support coral nursery projects and engage guests in hands-on restoration dives. These collaborations have helped raise awareness among visitors while directly contributing to the health of the island’s reefs, underscoring how tourism and conservation can work hand in hand.

The work is supported by Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire (OLB) and the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Quality, and Nature (LVVN) through the Nos ta Biba di Naturalesa project. It also forms part of a wider collaboration with SECORE International and FUNDEMAR, testing new coral breeding techniques across the Caribbean.

For Bonaire, it’s a milestone that represents both hope and urgency—proof that restoration is possible, but also a reminder of the fragile state of the island’s reefs.