Coral Bleaching is a Reality (Andaman’s)

Coral bleaching is a phenomenon where a coral turn white, the main reason for this is warming waters. Someone asked me if this coral bleaching thing was for real. So, let me put this straight “Yes” it is for real. The rise in our atmospheric temperature is also causing the temperature at sea to rise which is resulting is beaching. This event I recently witnessed on my dive adventure in Andaman Island.

What I saw over there was devastating. Most of the reefs were either gone or dying, bleaching was almost everywhere. Brown algae was covered on most of the reef-building corals. Once a colorful reef is now just barren land. Bleaching also affects the marine life big time, most of the reef-dependent fish such as the butterflyfish and angelfish are hard to spot. If you go on diving you would definitely witness a lot of marine life but the majority is gone.

Disappointed, I was too, but there is still hope. One my dives I also witness a coral farm where this person was growing staghorn coral and later would place them at different places. I also witnessed giant clams at an unusual location, some very large coral colonies, maybe they just adapted to the environment temperature. It will take years for the reefs to grow back, at least we have hope. Humans can contribute in two simple ways, firstly, control the global warming and secondly, reduce pollution. This will ultimately affect the reefs in a major way.

Must Read: Cyphastrea or Stylocoeniella or Goniopora