Tourist in Florida Keys caught poaching coral, police say

Christopher Curlee, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was issued a notice to appear in court for violating the Endangered Species Act after Fish and Wildlife officers said they caught him in possession of staghorn coral.

Staghorn coral can form dense groups called “thickets” in very shallow water, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

The coral provides an important habitat for other reef animals, especially fish.

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