Scientists from Thailand are trying to save coral reefs from death: details

Thai marine biologists are growing coral reefs in the laboratory to restore areas discolored by warming oceans and human activity.

Scientists went scuba diving to collect as many coral germ cells as possible, writes Reuters.

According to them, such research is challenging because corals reproduce only once a year. Growing young corals in the laboratory takes a long time – up to five years – before they can be transferred to their natural environment.

“We have hope that the degraded coral reefs will be able to recover and return to their former beauty.” – said one of the scientists Nantika Keatsom.

She also added that the loss of coral poses a threat not only to the ocean, but also to the country’s economy: it negatively affects tourism and fishing, which depend on the state of coral reefs.

90% of Thailand’s coral reefs suffered from mass bleaching that began in 2010, most likely due to rising water temperatures. That is why in 2016 a project on restoration and breeding of corals was established.

During this time, more than 4,000 coral colonies around Mun Nai Island were restored.

We used to told, that coral reefs are at risk of “bleaching” due to abnormally high temperatures. With that in mind, on to the program Coral Reef Watch, within which their condition is monitored, added three new levels of alarm so that scientists and conservationists have a better idea of ​​the state of reefs in different regions.

In addition, Australian scientists recorded coral bleaching around six islands in the northernmost Great Barrier Reef caused by warmer ocean waters. There are few healthy areas left, scientists say.