Current Affairs
Coral Reefs Are Being Grown in Underwater Nurseries
Marine biologists in Australia and Indonesia are growing baby corals in underwater nurseries and transplanting them onto damaged reefs, helping some areas recover faster than expected.
25 %of all ocean species rely on coral reefs
The facts
- 1Coral reefs support about 25 % of all ocean species even though they cover less than 1 % of the sea floor.
- 2Warming oceans cause coral bleaching — corals turn white and can die.
- 3In nurseries, coral fragments are attached to frames and grown for 6–12 months before transplanting.
- 4A project on the Great Barrier Reef saw 70 % of transplanted corals survive after two years.
- 5Healthy reefs also protect coastlines from storms by breaking the force of waves.
Why it matters
Coral reefs feed and shelter millions of sea creatures, and they protect coastal communities — losing them would affect both nature and people.
Sources
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority — Reef restoration projects
- Nature — Coral transplant survival rates (2025)
- BBC News — Underwater coral nurseries
