Since 2005, Atlantis Blue Project Foundation has invested in conservation at its most pivotal point—when bold ideas need early support to become real solutions. As a catalyst for high-potential, science-based initiatives, we focus on work that delivers real-life impact in the ocean. Read on to learn about the projects and partnerships driving that mission forward.
Delicate coral reefs in The Bahamas—which provide habitat, food, and shelter for millions of marine animals—are being decimated by rising ocean temperatures and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease, a fast-spreading illness that kills key species of reef-building coral. In response, the foundation is funding the development of The Bahamas’ first-ever Coral Gene Bank at Atlantis to rescue, preserve, study, grow, and reproduce threatened and endangered coral species.
Coral reefs are formed when tiny coral larvae settle on the seafloor and eventually join others to create connected colonies. But if algae, which grows rapidly in warmer ocean temperatures is present, it competes with coral for space and sunlight on the reef. The solution may be the introduction of long-spined sea urchins, which eat algae and provide open space for coral larvae to settle and grow. The foundation is funding a research trial to establish The Bahamas’ inaugural sea urchin nursery which they hope will restore reef health by outplanting mature urchins on reefs.
When a dolphin or manatee is ill or in distress, it may strand itself in shallow water or on land. When this happens, an alert goes out to The Bahamas Marine Mammal Stranding Network. The call activates the expert team at Dolphin Cay, who assess the animal’s condition and determines whether it needs to be transported to Atlantis for state-of-the-art veterinary care and rehabilitation. At Atlantis, the medical team can care for a stranded animal around the clock. All costs of transport, equipment, supplies, medicines, bloodwork, food, and nutritional supplements are covered by Atlantis.
Located at the island of Andros, approximately 50 miles southwest of Nassau, West Side National Park is an ecological gem that supports countless marine life with its significant seagrass beds, wetlands, uplands, and mangroves. The foundation joined The Nature Conservancy and the Bahamas National Trust to support the expansion of the park that was established in 2012. Today it remains one of the largest Marine Protected Areas in the Western Atlantic.
The smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata), a uniquely shaped ray often mistaken for a shark, is on the verge of extinction. Once found up and down the southeastern coast of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico, its population has declined so dramatically that it’s now only found in The Bahamas and the Florida Keys. For years, the foundation has supported efforts to monitor sawfish populations and educate locals and visitors to be good stewards of the species and its habitats.
All seven sea turtle species are endangered and protected by the government of The Bahamas. The foundation supports the Atlantis Sea Keeper Team, which closely monitors the beaches and protects sea turtle nests. The Sea Keepers have successfully bred, rescued, rehabilitated, and released more than 7,500 sea turtles. The foundation also takes part in the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s annual Tour de Turtles, a satellite-tracking event that follows individual sea turtles on their yearly migration journey to raise awareness about the threats they face—from plastic pollution to climate change—and the urgent need for their protection.
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