Scientists warn of devastating coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in the Australian state of Queensland. New underwater images show the full extent of the disaster. According to experts, the reason is a recent marine heat wave in the region.
“Heron Island has been fortunate to have been spared several bleaching events in recent years, but what it looks like now is nothing short of devastating,” said Diana Kleine, project manager of the organization Coral Watch. The researcher has been visiting the island, which is located about 460 kilometers north of Brisbane in the affected area, for 25 years.
In some cases, up to 80% of corals bleached
At water temperatures up to 30 degrees, up to 80 percent of the corals are bleached in some places. She saw a four meter wide coral that had been growing for thousands of years – and was now completely pale and white. Given the situation, authorities could soon declare another mass bleaching event, local climate protection organization Climate Council warned.
Natural wonders in danger
The Barrier Reef is a natural wonder that can even be seen from space. It is increasingly threatened by ocean warming. In difficult conditions, the corals shed the algae that provide their color, with which they otherwise live in community for mutual benefit.
Bleached corals are extremely stressed, but they are still alive and able to recover. According to experts, the extremely warm sea water makes them susceptible to diseases that can kill them. If the water doesn’t cool in the coming weeks, it will only be a matter of time before the bleached cnidarians become extinct, Kleine said.
Source: Krone
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