United States - July 30, 2025 On July 30, 2025, the New York Aquarium began rehabilitating live stony corals confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). These corals were illegally imported, violating the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Endangered Species Act. The seized species include Goniopora, Acropora, Lobophyllia, Alveopora, and Euphyllia, all listed on CITES Appendix II. This listing requires 185 member countries to ensure legal trade that does not harm wild populations. Currently housed behind the scenes, most corals will later be displayed in the aquarium’s reef exhibits. These exhibits educate visitors about coral ecosystems and threats like climate change, ocean acidification, overharvesting, and illegal trade. The USFWS previously sent confiscated corals to the aquarium in 2019. As an AZA-accredited facility, the New York Aquarium is equipped to care for seized wildlife. After a stressful five-day transit, staff administered treatments and began reconditioning. Of over 200 pieces, most arrived viable; about 30 were dead. The corals now join the aquarium’s advanced coral propagation program, which uses asexual reproduction techniques such as fragmentation. This program supports global reef conservation efforts. Aquarist Camilla Piechocki said, “We monitor water chemistry, slowly reintroduce lighting, and mimic reef conditions to help them thrive.” Coral expert Aaron Brett noted, “These animals are resilient, but the transition from illegal shipment to thriving exhibit is a complex process.” Brett added, “Exhibiting these animals builds awareness. We hope people will be inspired to protect these beautiful and diverse creatures.” Coral reefs support roughly a billion people and provide habitat for about 25 percent of all marine life. With warming oceans causing more bleaching events, the aquarium’s work is urgent. The New York Aquarium supports federal enforcement and the pending Wildlife Confiscations Network Act, aiming to improve coordinated care for seized wildlife.