Nestled in the vibrant waters of the Caribbean lies a hidden gem of biodiversity and ecological health — the coral reef of Tela, Honduras.
In an era where the majority of coral reefs are experiencing degradation and decline, Tela’s reefs are a rare example of resilience and hope.
Tela Coral News
Beneath the Surface
Tela’s corals trailblaze a path to the future in Miami. 🌊🔬🪸
Thanks to our partners at the University of Miami, our co-founders Juli and Tiff recently had the chance to get a first-time look at Tela’s corals in the state-of-the-art spawning lab where they’ve lived for the last year.
Spawning these corals in a controlled lab setting allows researchers to study their reproduction and potentially raise millions of genetically robust offspring for future restoration, amplifying our impact exponentially.
This was Tiff and Juli’s first time seeing them in the lab, and it was a powerful close-up look at the dedication, care, and science that fuels our work. This is how we build resilience. This is the future of coral restoration.
The work continues... stay tuned for updates!
#ExploraHonduras #VisitHonduras #Coral #CoralReefs #Ocean #OceanConservation #CoralRestoration #ReefRestoration #OceanClimateAction #WINGS #WINGSWomenOfDiscovery #WINGSFlag #WomenInScience #WomenInStem #WomenEmpowerment #WomenSupportingWomen #WomensLeadership #SheInspiresMe #Exploration #Honduras #tela
For a healthy ocean, we need healthy corals. And for healthy corals, we need to understand them! 🌊
That’s why our co-founder Juli was at The University of Texas at Austin’s Hot Science Cool Talks, showing students how coral biomineralization works. It’s an amazing process where coral polyps extract calcium & carbonate from seawater to build their aragonite skeletons—layer by layer. These small actions create the vast and vital reef ecosystems that we all know and love! 🤯
Our team spreads the world and the science that matters - all with the goal of protecting #TheRebelReef and countless other reefs around the world.
Want to be part of it? We host events like this all the time! Get our newsletter for updates so you can learn and get involved.
#ExploraHonduras #VisitHonduras #Coral #CoralReefs #Ocean #OceanConservation #CoralRestoration #ReefRestoration #OceanClimateAction #WINGS #WINGSWomenOfDiscovery #WINGSFlag #WomenInScience #WomenInStem #WomenEmpowerment #WomenSupportingWomen #WomensLeadership #SheInspiresMe #Exploration #Honduras #tela
⏳ HURRY!! We still need you!
Voting for SXSW 2026 closes this Sunday, August 24 and we’re still in the running! We need help getting over the line! So vote, tag your family, send to your ocean-loving friends, and use it as an excuse to chat with that barista you’ve been lowkey flirting with for the past year 🤣 We need all hands on deck!
🎼 Music that inspires people to save the ocean.
🎨 Art that makes real change happen.
🤿 Science that proves collaboration works.
If you haven’t voted yet, let’s go!!! Procrastination is SO last year 😉. It takes 2 minutes!
1️⃣ Register (free & confidential): https://id.sxsw.com/
2️⃣ Click the ❤️ for our panel: https://participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sxsw26/community-voting-sxsw/page/community-voting/session/1752093216283001vvfV
Every vote makes waves for #TheRebelReef and reefs around the world! 🌊✨
Tela x Music for the Ocean x SXSW!!!! 🪸 🎶
Is South x Southwest in our future?! With your help — MAYBE!! Along with our creative partners at @musicfornature_official, we’re in the running to host a coral and music panel at this epic festival in Austin, TX!
SXSW would be a dream venue for us, but we need your votes to get us there! Can you help? 🥹👉👈
🌟 Here’s how: it takes just 2 minutes to vote!
1️⃣ Register (free & confidential): https://id.sxsw.com/
2️⃣ Click the ❤️ next to our panel name: https://participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sxsw26/community-voting-sxsw/page/community-voting/session/1752093216283001vvfV
🚨 DEADLINE: SUNDAY, AUGUST 24. Please vote, share to your story and tag your friends! Much like a reef, the more the merrier!
Let’s go!!
Meet the Flonduran corals! 💑🇺🇸🇭🇳 These elkhorn babies are the FIRST-EVER international crossbred corals approved for outplanting, and they just made their debut on a Miami reef! 🎉
These little warriors’ parents are heat-resistant champs from #TheRebelReef in Honduras crossed with some of Florida’s most resilient corals.
🔥 Why does this matter?
Florida’s reefs are in crisis—elkhorn corals are foundational species and less than 5% remain. Rising ocean temps are pushing them to the brink of extinction
🔬 The science is WILD:
✔️ Researchers from UMiami collected elkhorn fragments from #TheRebelReef and flew them back to Florida.
✔️ Then #TheRebelReef corals spawned (YAY!) and the Florida Aquarium successfully crossbred them with Florida elkhorns they were already caring for, making “Flonduran” elkhorn babies.
✔️ After a year of TLC, the next generation is ocean-bound, with tentacles of hope for the future of Florida’s reefs, and reefs around the world!
🎉 This is a MAJOR regulatory step forward:
✔️ It’s the FIRST time that coral genes from another country have received permits to be outplanted anywhere in the WORLD!
✔️ It shows how important international collaborations are!
Shoutout to the coral dream team (@miamirosenstiel, @tela_marine, @floridaaquarium) for doing the impossible (and doing it in style) 🌊💙
Who knew coral matchmaking could be this revolutionary?
Photos 1, 5, 6 & 7 - Diana Udel of UMiami
Photos 2, 3, 4 & 9 - Tiffany Duong #
