Facts about Coral bleaching

The Great Barrier Reef is not dead

The Great Barrier Reef consists of approximately 3000 reefs spread over 14 latitudes as an ecosystem rather than a single organism. Coral reefs can be severely affected but recover as the coral community regrows and new coral larvae will settle on the reef if environmental conditions are stable.

Bleached corals are not dead corals:

Bleached corals are not exactly dead corals and on reefs with mild or moderate bleaching the reefs have a good chance of recovery and survival.

60% of the shallow Great Barrier Reef bleaching by 2019-20

Of the 1036 coral reefs surveyed by scientists by air, 60% showed moderate or severe bleaching. Aerial surveys accurately recorded bleaching to a depth of only 5 m, and the severity of bleaching generally decreased with increasing depth.

Most reefs used for tourism have not been seriously affected

Most recognised tourist areas are free from minor or moderate bleaching High standards of tourism operations provide the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority with real-time knowledge of the health of coral reefs in high value tourist destinations

Bleaching is a natural process, but is being affected by climate change more and more frequently

Coral bleaching is a stress response; individual coral colonies will suffer some degree of bleaching during any given summer season. This is a natural process and requires no special attention. However, large scale oceanic heat waves have caused massive coral bleaching events, in which large numbers of corals are severely bleached over a wide area on many different reefs. As the Earth and its oceans warm due to climate change, ocean heatwaves and associated coral bleaching events become increasingly severe and frequent, and the natural recovery processes of coral reefs cannot keep up.

Coral reefs have successfully adapted for thousands of years without disturbance, but now need human help

This massive bleaching proves once again that climate change remains the greatest challenge facing coral reefs. Efforts to reduce emissions to the greatest extent possible on a global scale are vital, while local action in marine parks and their watersheds is also essential. Everyone around the world can do their part to protect the Great Barrier Reef for future generations.