Coral Special

Coral reefs face a crisis with stony coral tissue loss disease, but there's hope in alternative treatments. Dr. Erinn Muller is testing pioneering approaches to save these precious ecosystems. Each rescue forges a path to a healthier future, driven by the belief that a decade from now, we'll be in a much better place in the fight to protect our coral reefs.

Introducing Floaty Boat, a remotely operated vehicle designed to streamline coral larval restoration efforts. Once coral spawn matures into larvae, they're delicately poured into a 100-liter bladder. Floaty Boat employs a larval-friendly pump to transfer them without harm. Equipped with a real-time substrate assessment camera, Floaty Boat revolutionizes coral restoration with precision and care.

Professor Peter L. Harrison from Southern Cross University and his team use specialized nets to capture precious coral spawn before it drifts away on the current. This ingenious device allows the spawn, a vital mixture of eggs and sperm, to rise to the surface, where it's gently caught, preserving the genesis of entire coral reefs.

Professor Steve Simpson from Bristol University, UK, plays the sounds of a healthy reef to baby coral nurseries. These sounds will later guide the coral to settle in ideal locations. This innovative approach, on an industrial scale, marks a giant leap toward coral reef restoration, blending science, engineering, natural history, and conservation on a grand scale.

In the third year of this 7-year project examining the issues facing the planet’s most threatened ecosystems, Dr. M. Sanjayan visits the Maldives to take an in-depth look at coral reefs and the urgent efforts to help them survive climate change.

In the third year of this 7-year project examining the issues facing the planet’s most threatened ecosystems, Dr. M. Sanjayan visits the Maldives to take an in-depth look at coral reefs and the urgent efforts to help them survive climate change.