Friday, October 26, 2012

Re-growing Coral Reefs

The Indian Ocean has shown signs of global warming---several years ago water temperatures rose for a sustained period, and some coral reefs were "bleached" ---- a nice way of saying "killed."  This effects the whole ecosystem.  But there is hope.  When we were in Praslin, Seychelles last month, we visited some marine biologists doing work on a U.S. development project to re-grow coral reefs.  The process involves taking pieces of living coral and attaching them to a series of ropes underwater.  In the right conditions, the coral grows and creates new reefs, attracting all kinds of marine life.  Rebuilding an important ecosystem in innovative ways . . . where there's rope, there's hope!

A coral nursery growing on ropes
Can you spot the fish?
Antler coral provides nutrition and safety for some fish

See the sea life
A forest of new coral growth in Mauritius



Coral comes in all shapes and sizes



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