Sydney, Aug 6
Australia's Great Barrier Reef's hard coral cover has sharply declined, returning to near long-term average levels after recent record highs, a report revealed Wednesday.
The findings underscore a new volatility in coral health, according to the Australian Institute of Marine Science's (AIMS) annual survey report of the world's largest coral reef system off the coast of Australia's Queensland.
The Great Barrier Reef has experienced the largest annual decline in coral cover in two of its three regions since AIMS began monitoring 39 years ago, the report said.
This decline was mainly caused by climate change-driven heat stress from the 2024 mass bleaching event, alongside damage from cyclones and crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks, it said.
According to AIMS, coral cover fell by about 25 per cent in the northern section, nearly 14 per cent in the central region, and around one-third in the southern region, which experienced such severe bleaching for the first time, Xinhua news agency reported.
AIMS Long-Term Monitoring Program (LTMP) leader Mike Emslie said that over the past 15 years, hard coral cover has become more volatile, fluctuating rapidly between record lows and highs, pointing to an ecosystem under stress.
Coral reefs dominated by the Acropora species, known for their fast growth but high vulnerability, were among the most impacted, "as they are susceptible to heat stress, cyclones and are a favorite food of crown-of-thorns starfish," Emslie said.
AIMS' 2025 LTMP surveyed 124 reefs between August 2024 and May 2025, finding that most reefs had hard coral cover of 10-30 per cent, 33 reefs had 30-50 per cent, two reefs exceeded 75 per cent, and two were below 10 per cent.
AIMS CEO Selina Stead said the findings strongly demonstrate how ocean warming due to climate change is causing significant and rapid harm to the Great Barrier Reef's coral communities.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While this is concerning, I wonder if Australia is doing enough to protect the reef? We in India have our own environmental challenges, but developed nations must lead by example. Their per capita emissions are much higher than ours.
The coral bleaching is a warning sign for all coastal nations. In Mumbai, we're already seeing effects of rising sea temperatures on marine life. Maybe India and Australia can collaborate on marine conservation research?
As an expat living in Bangalore, this hits close to home. Australia's reef crisis shows how interconnected our planet is. The cyclones mentioned in the article are becoming more frequent in the Indian Ocean too. Time for serious climate action!
Respectfully, while the reef's decline is tragic, I wish Indian media gave equal coverage to our own environmental disasters like the Yamuna pollution or disappearing mangroves. We need to balance global and local reporting.
The Acropora species mentioned reminds me of our coral reefs in Lakshadweep. Climate change doesn't respect borders - what affects Australia today could be India's problem tomorrow. We must learn from their experience.
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