Pascal and Mathieu Coutant, La Rochelle Aquarium's Managers, flew off yesterday to Guadeloupe for the Planugwa Coral Mission.

This year, they hope to harvest the eggs of three species of coral, one of which is in critical danger of extinction: the reef-building elkhorn coral.

 
The mission's goal is to then breed the coral in aquariums and to perfect protocols that will enable maritime repopulation actions for these endangered species..

Stored in round, hermetically sealed boxes for the trip, they were extracted using pipettes and inserted into individual cavities in one of La Rochelle Aquarium's quarantine tanks.

The Aquarium will house them for 15 days before they move on to the sea.

Since last year, La Rochelle Aquarium has been partnering with the district community of Ile de Ré and its rangers in a project to reintroduce lobsters to their natural environment.

A bluespotted ribbontail ray (Taeniura lymma) was born a few days back. It's a girl! She measures 14 centimetres and weighs in at 180 grams.

Mummy is doing well and has already got back in shape.

The little ray will spend another few days in the nursery before you will be able to admire her beauty.

Learn more here

Toutes les personnes se trouvant en mer sont invitées à transmettre les observations de tortues marines, de mammifères marins ou d’autres espèces. Un geste pour contribuer à la protection de ces espèces marines.

L’Aquarium La Rochelle aux côtés de la LPO.

Depuis le 1er juillet 2011, l’Aquarium La Rochelle a rejoint ce réseau, en devenant le point relais transport de l’agglomération rochelaise pour accueillir et organiser le transfert des oiseaux et petits mammifères. La Rochelle est un site majeur de collecte qui ne bénéficiait pas de point-relais.

These two new comers are member of an observation and awareness program entitled "Mission Caretta".

They have been named after the famous motto of La Rochelle: “Belle et rebelle” (Beautiful and rebel).

After 1 year at the Aquarium La Rochelle, Rebelle is back to Marineland for new adventures. As for Belle, you can still admire her among our 12 000 marine animals.