Five reasons why our coral reefs have hope nationalgeographic.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nationalgeographic.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Why our coral reefs need hope
With coral reefs dying due to climate change, pollution, and destructive fishing, we stand to lose some of the most important habitats on the planet. But help is coming, and with that help comes hope.
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With a real danger of nearly all coral reefs disappearing within the next 50 years, work is being done to save them.VIDEO BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
ByJon Heggie
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In the tropical waters off the coast of Indonesia, a free-swimming coral larva attaches itself to an underwater rock and starts to grow. The larva grows into a coral polyp, then a colony that matures and releases larvae that colonize other rocks. In time, it helps to create one of nature’s most spectacular ecosystems: a coral reef. Orange, blue, and sparkling-silver fish dart around a seascape of vibrant greens, yellows, pinks, reds, purples, and co