THE SEA-CLE OF LIFE
Providing a platform to spread awareness on coral conservation
Coral reefs are vital to ocean health; they support 25% of marine life, protecting coastlines, and helping regulate the planet’s climate. But with 90% of reefs now at risk due to human activity, urgent action is needed. SEA LIFE London is proud to support innovative solutions through our partnership with Resting Reef, a project that transforms memorial ashes into reef-like structures designed to encourage coral regrowth. This collaboration highlights how science, sustainability, and human connection can come together to restore these fragile underwater ecosystems.
SEA LIFE London Partners with Resting Reef
SEA LIFE London has partnered with sustainability pioneers Resting Reef to launch a meaningful conservation initiative that combines emotional legacy with ecological impact. This collaboration began with Resting Reef approaching SEA LIFE for support in refining their memorial reef designs and testing them in a controlled marine environment. SEA LIFE’s aquarist team offered their expertise to help validate the structures for live habitats, resulting in the installation of a prototype within the Clownfish habitat. Together, the shared goal is to raise public awareness about coral conservation and the role memorial reef structures can play in regenerating marine ecosystems, both locally and globally.
What is Resting Reef?
Founded by graduates of the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, Resting Reef offers a sustainable and regenerative alternative to traditional memorials by transforming cremated ashes into 3D-moulded reef structures. These structures are designed to encourage coral regrowth by mimicking natural reef conditions and providing a base for coral polyps and marine life to attach and thrive. Developed over several years, Resting Reef’s formula is safe for marine environments and actively supports biodiversity. Their structures have already been placed in devastated reefs in Bali, contributing to significantly increased marine life in those areas.
Supporting coral conservation
Coral reefs are essential to ocean health; they support over 25% of marine life, protect coastlines from erosion, and help sustain local communities. Yet, 90% of the world’s reefs are now at risk due to human activity. By supporting Resting Reef’s mission, SEA LIFE London aims to shine a light on innovative ways to tackle coral decline and inspire action. Projects like these not only help restore fragile ecosystems but also offer a deeply personal and lasting way for individuals to contribute to marine conservation through the legacies of their loved ones.
Find Out More
“It has been a pleasure offering our expertise to support this incredible conservation project, and even more of an honour to have a prototype structure here on display at SEA LIFE London. We hope this will raise awareness on the importance of coral conservation, and encourage more sustainable behaviours. We hope that this will be a long-term partnership and hope to send some of Aquarists out to Bali to help contribute further to the incredible habitat restoration work Resting Reef are doing.”.
“We are so grateful for SEA LIFE’s ongoing support, particularly during the formula-testing phases to ensure our structures were safe for installation in the wild. They have provided us with expert advice and guidance along the way and it has been a pleasure working alongside them from structure design, to now being placed on the sea-beds. We look forward to continuing this partnership and continuing to raise awareness on coral conservation together.”
