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Life is better in Colour – Coral bleaching awareness month

Eric Blais vividly remembers the coral reef where he used to dive as a young man. “It was like a life-sized aquarium, filled with colourful corals of all shapes and colours, and teeming with fish. Not too deep – about 5 metres deep – I loved spending my time here.” 

Sadly, everything changed after the infamous El Niño of 1998, which caused widespread coral bleaching in the Western Indian Ocean. Suddenly, the reef he cherished was lost.

“It’s difficult to describe how I felt. I experienced complete desolation. A reef that once supported healthy corals and vibrant marine life had turned to rubble, devoid of life. It felt horrible—apocalyptic even,” he recalls.

Esthel Didon expresses a similar feeling of sadness after experiencing coral bleaching first-hand this year. “You could feel the warming temperatures and see the corals turning white. Even while on the boat heading out to dive, you could see patches of white across the reef,” she says. “The corals either recover or die depending on the conditions. Imagine a colony just as big as I am just dying off!”

Coral reefs are sanctuaries for a variety of marine life

Coral reefs are places of wonder. Often called the rainforests of the sea, they are sanctuaries for a variety of marine life. However, beneath the waves, a crisis that most people will never see, but one that affects us all profoundly, is unfolding. Our coral reefs, these vibrant underwater wonders, are bleaching due to climate change and warming oceans.

This November marks the second annual Coral Bleaching Awareness Month, dedicated to highlighting this phenomenon and standing in solidarity with those at the forefront of coral reef conservation.

What is coral bleaching?

Coral bleaching occurs when corals, which live in symbiosis with algae called zooxanthellae, expel the algae due to stressors such as rising sea temperatures. Without these algae, corals lose both their vibrant colours and their main source of food. In this weakened state, they can die if conditions don’t improve quickly.

Bleaching occurs when corals expel their symbiotic algae

Bleaching is not only about colour. Coral reefs shelter millions of marine species, and provide food, coastal protection, and income through fishing and tourism. Therefore, coral bleaching serves as a warning that this delicate balance of life is under threat, with repercussions extending far beyond the ocean.

This is why we should all care about what is happening. “Everything on this planet is connected,” asserts Eric. “Many people understand this now. We need to continue showing people what is at stake. I believe everyone—even those who don’t dive or see corals—would agree: it’s better to look at a colourful reef, not to mention the benefits we all enjoy from healthy, thriving reefs.”

A call to action

As coral reef restorers, Nature Seychelles’ Reef Rescuers spend every day in the ocean, observing the fragility of these ecosystems. Since 2010, the NGO has been restoring reefs in the Cousin Island Special Reserve through its coral reef restoration program, with thousands of corals being raised in underwater nurseries and being outplanted in damaged reefs. This project is currently in its third phase and is funded by the Adaptation Fund through UNDP and the Seychelles government.

“I want everyone to know that they can help through direct actions such as the coral reef restoration, or indirect actions that reduce their threat levels, especially by reducing global emissions,” says Dr Luca Saponari, team leader.

So, this November, share what you know about coral bleaching, support their conservation and rehabilitation, reduce your carbon footprint, choose reef-safe products, do not pollute or damage corals, and encourage others to do the same. Coral reefs are worth fighting for, because life is better in colour.