Current Affairs
Coral Reefs Are Being Grown in Underwater Nurseries
AI-generated illustration
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
