Coral Reefs Live
from the Tobacco Caye Marine Station
A reef with no barrier.
Join James Troughton, the Station Manager, in an exploration of the world’s second-largest barrier-reef. You will start your EdVenture off with a brief botany lecture as you traverse the island’s gardens. Then, you will head to the beach where you will learn about many of the species present in Belize in addition to their significant ecological role. Next, you will take a short boat ride to the reef, where you will “dive” into the water. While in the ocean, you will catch a glimpse of the diversity of fish, algae, crustaceans, echinoderms, sponges, marine worms, ascidians, copepods, sea turtles, and/or nurse sharks.
Learn about pollution, ocean acidification/warming oceans, and/or the invasive red lionfish, a venomous fish from the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific that is wreaking havoc in the Western Atlantic. This EdVenture ends with a lionfish dissection in order to better understand the species under the most threat from predation, and to help other organizations in the quest to combat the various impacts that lionfish have on the reefs. We will create an educational experience for you that you will never forget, while giving back to the conservation efforts of the Marine Station.
During your EdVenture, you will be encouraged to ask a lot of questions! Feel free to ask anything, from general questions about the Marine Station, to why a specific species is becoming endangered.
How did the lionfish end up in Belize?
By accidental release from storm damage to aquariums in addition to careless dumping from the pet industry.
What is coral bleaching?
When corals are stressed by changes in conditions, such as temperature, light, or nutrients, they expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn white.
Are nurse sharks dangerous?
Despite some unprovoked attacks on swimmers and divers, nurse sharks are not generally aggressive and usually swim away when approached.
Deep diving questions.
A marine experience where wetsuits are optional.
We assure you that this experience will be hassle-free; you won’t even have to put on a wetsuit! Our team will make all of the arrangements at a time that suits you best, and provide you with all of the information that you will need to connect with the experts at Marine Station. Additionally, we will be on hand during your EdVenture to provide you with a brief introduction and to record your session. After the tour is over, we will supply you with a video of your session, information on the wildlife you saw, and how you can help Tobacco Caye Marine Station with their vision to become a leader in immersive education, utilizing sustainable conservation practice.
See what you’ll dive into on our Coral Reefs LIVE virtual tour.
Learn More!
A 4 inch waterproof decal of the Tobacco Caye Marine Station logo. Proceeds benefit marine conservation efforts in Belize.
Note: Decals are not heat-resistant and should not be placed in the dishwasher.
Please scroll down for the story behind this logo!
Shop with a Purpose and Support the Tobacco Caye Marine Station!
Buy a sticker to help clean the coral reefs! Proceeds from the Orange Trash Turtle decal help the TCMS remove plastic and other debris from the local reefs, thus promoting biodiversity and health for a wide number of species!
Scroll down for the full story!
Note: These decals are waterproof, but not heat-resistant. Please do not place in dishwashers.
Buy a decal and help remove a predator! This unique decal was designed to show some of the reef species that are eaten by the invasive lionfish. Your purchase helps support a variety of efforts - so please scroll down to read more!
Note: These waterproof decals are not heat-resistant, so please do not place in dishwashers.
Former EdVenturers
The Hub Microacademy
Appalachian Brian Estates
McGraw Hill Education Life Sciences
Coral reefs are one of the most important, and threatened, ecosystems on the planet. Sometimes called the “rainforests of the sea”, reefs form an important part of the marine foos web. Learn more about them here, or take a virtual tour edventure with us to the coral reefs of Belize