Diving our usual reefs, and seeing most of the coral bleached is truly heartbreaking. Temperatures have been way above average for the last 6 months. And by the end of December, we reached the point of exhaustion. The corals couldn’t cope anymore with it!
Even the corals that didn’t bleach lost their glow, and all looked dull, a symptom of stress. No one single coral is spared.
First Massive coral bleaching in North Bali since 1998.
Even if we witnessed small bleaching events every year, the last time we witnessed such a large amount of desolation in that area was in 1998. Since then, almost every year we have gotten mild stress with mild bleaching, where all the colonies usually recovered.
What is coral bleaching?
When corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients, they expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white. Zooxanthellae, the symbiotic algae living within coral tissues, are vital for coral survival. They act as the coral’s primary food source by photosynthesizing and providing essential sugars for energy. In return, corals supply the algae with shelter and nutrients. This partnership also aids in the coral’s ability to build its skeleton and provides their vibrant colors. The loss of these algae, known as coral bleaching, severely stresses corals as they lose their main source of food and become vulnerable.
What can you do?
Unfortunately, there are not much that can be done directly, except, doing what you can to reduce climate change to give a chance to corals to adapt. While rapid temperature drops after a bleaching event can sometimes offer a glimmer of hope, the recovery process is complex and not guaranteed solely by a quick cool-down. If the temperature stress that caused the bleaching subsides relatively quickly, and the coral hasn’t suffered prolonged starvation or disease, there’s a chance the remaining coral polyps can survive. Over time, they might be able to recruit new zooxanthellae from the surrounding environment, gradually regaining their color and the essential nutrients they need to thrive. However, the extent of damage during the bleaching event, the overall health of the coral before the stress, and other environmental factors like water quality play crucial roles in determining if and how fully a coral can recover. A swift temperature drop provides a better opportunity for survival, but it’s just one piece of a larger, delicate recovery puzzle.
You can start by reporting it: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScPVdUm8G8Rc6itXgy64Q1ndHMDBG0P3nH04M04-Bxmd3T79g/viewform
Then at this point, it is important to record what species are affected? and what species will recover? as these species are the resilient ones that have a chance to last the longest on these reefs.
A re-set for conservation:
The most important colonies, can be shaded, or moved to deeper, cooler water, but this can be tricky to do.
Hopefully, some colonies recover and adapt. So there needs to be a clear recording (Photography, Video, written…) of all species that are bleaching, to know which ones have recovered, or which ones didn’t bleach. Which one is resilient? and which one is resistant?. And after the event, focus on these particular species for reef restoration.
The good news:
Finally, temperatures are cooling down! Over the last 3 weeks, temperatures have been going down. We recorded 26-27 C on 26th January 2024. Which is a major difference from the 31-32 C we had from July to December 2024.
Hopefully, the temperature will stay cool for long enough. If the temperature rises again soon, most of these corals are doomed.
The massive work will start after the event.
This is when the most important work needs to be done. Once the event has passed, we need to make sure that other threats, such as Disease, Predator infestation, Boat anchoring, Tourist kicks, overfishing, and pollution… are handled properly to save the remaining surviving corals.
Our Main coral reef restoration site is not experiencing bleaching!
That’s the other good news. Our main coral reef restoration site in Ped, Nusa Penida, south of Bali, is not experiencing any significant bleaching.
Our strategy to grow coral fragments in our shallow, warm, and bright lagoon nursery and transplant them into the shallow water of the outer reef is working well. Consider helping to fund our coral restoration activities with a donation. We really appreciate your support.