World’s largest coral, twice the size of a basketball court, discovered in South Pacific
Credit: Manu San Felix, National Geographic Photographer, Pristine Seas.
A huge 300 to 500-year-old coral reef has been discovered near the Soloman Islands by the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas expedition team. The impressive discovery marks what experts believe to be the largest single coral structure ever recorded.
The ancient coral, located within the Three Sisters island group, is made up of nearly one billion polyps and has been identified as belonging to the species Pavona clavus. According to National Geographic, it measures 34 metres wide, 32 metres long and 5.5 metres high, with a circumference of 183 meters, larger than the average blue whale.
This discovery was made during a climate change impact assessment mission in remote areas of the Pacific Ocean. National Geographic reports that it was initially mistaken for a shipwreck and discovered by chance just before the research team was about to survey a different location.
According to the New Scientist, the coral structure is “about the size of a cathedral”, while the National Geographic team reports it is equivalent to two basketball courts and so large it can be observed from space.
The finding of this ‘mega coral’ comes at a crucial time when coral reefs worldwide face various threats, including the increasing challenge of rising ocean temperatures, ocean acidification and coral bleaching. A recent report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature outlines that over 40 per cent of coral species face extinction.
Enric Sala, National Geographic explorer in residence and founder of Pristine Seas, comments: “This is a significant scientific discovery, like finding the world’s tallest tree. But there is cause for alarm. Despite its remote location, this coral is not safe from global warming and other human threats.”
One of the expedition team’s scientists, Eric Brown, explains: “Large adult coral colonies like this contribute significantly to the recovery of coral reef ecosystems due to their high reproductive potential.” While shallow reefs nearby have deteriorated, this larger coral in deeper water signifies a “beacon of hope”.
