Waikīkī Aquarium’s Adopt-a-Polyp program honored by Governor and Mayor
L to R: Judy Lemus, interim director of the Waikiki Aquarium; Dadia Ellis, public information specialist at the Waikiki Aquarium; and Bryan Tepper, co-chair of the Friends of Waikiki Aquarium Board of Directors celebrate the Governor's and Mayor's recognition of the Adopt-a-Polyp program.
The Friends of Waikīkī Aquarium’s Adopt-a-Polyp campaign was recognized by Hawai‘i Governor Josh Green, MD, with a special message and by Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi with a proclamation marking August 13, 2026 as Waikīkī Aquarium’s Adopt-a-Polyp Day.
“Through the Adopt-a-Polyp campaign, residents and visitors deepen their appreciation for Hawai‘i’s coral reefs while actively engaging in the vital role our community plays in helping protect these extraordinary marine ecosystems,” Mayor Blangiardi stated in his proclamation.
“The Waikīkī Aquarium is grateful to the Friends of Waikīkī Aquarium, and weʻre deeply honored by both the Mayorʻs proclamation and the Governorʻs recognition of our long-standing efforts to conserve Hawaii’s corals and educate our visitors about these critically important organisms”” said Judy Lemus, interim director of the Waikīkī Aquarium.
Supporting conservation and community education
Since opening in 1986, the Aquarium’s Edge of the Reef exhibit has given visitors an up-close look at Hawaiʻi’s native reef-building corals. As Hawaiʻi’s first outdoor exhibit featuring species such as rice, mound and cauliflower corals, it has helped generations of residents and visitors better understand the important role healthy reefs play in our islands.
Supporters of the Adopt-a-Polyp program symbolically adopt a coral polyp, colony, reef, or ecosystem and contribute to the planned restoration of the Edge of the Reef exhibit, as well as support the Aquariumʻs ongoing coral propagation and education programs. One of the Waikīkī Aquarium’s most beloved exhibits, the Edge of the Reef advances coral conservation, research and educational programs.
“Through the dedicated work of the Aquarium’s Coral Team, living corals are being propagated and cared for as the exhibit is reimagined,” Governor Green stated in his special message. “The Adopt-a-Polyp Campaign provides individuals, families and organizations with a unique opportunity to become part of this effort.”
“We’re committed to helping conserve and protect all of Hawaii’s marine life, but corals play an especially important role for other animals and humans alike—when we protect corals, they help protect us,” Lemus shared. “Working together with the community through this symbolic adoption program will not only support the new Edge of the Reef exhibit, it will help us maintain our coral conservation efforts for many years to come.”