This beautiful reef is in Kimbe Bay, New Britian - Papua New Guinea. I was here in early June 2023 and the water temperature was 30 degrees Celsius and a staggering 32 degrees in the shallower waters. Rising sea water temperature and increased UV radiation are two of the major causes of coral bleaching. When corals are under stress they expel the zooxanthellae that live inside their tissues. Without the algae to provide colour, corals appear transparent and reveal their white skeletons. Bleached corals are not dead, but are more at risk of starvation and disease. Deprived of zooxanthellae and therefore their food source, corals begin to starve. If raised water temperatures persist for long periods (eight weeks or more) corals begin to die.
There was a lot of evidence of coral bleaching and dead reefs in Kimbe Bay. This particular reef was right out in the mouth of the bay where the water was a clear deep blue. There were small sections where bleaching had occurred but the majority of the reef was healthy and full of colour.
This beautiful reef is in Kimbe Bay, New Britian - Papua New Guinea. I was here in early June 2023 and the water temperature was 30 degrees Celsius and a staggering 32 degrees in the shallower waters. Rising sea water temperature and increased UV radiation are two of the major causes of coral bleaching. When corals are under stress they expel the zooxanthellae that live inside their tissues. Without the algae to provide colour, corals appear transparent and reveal their white skeletons. Bleached corals are not dead, but are more at risk of starvation and disease. Deprived of zooxanthellae and therefore their food source, corals begin to starve. If raised water temperatures persist for long periods (eight weeks or more) corals begin to die.
There was a lot of evidence of coral bleaching and dead reefs in Kimbe Bay. This particular reef was right out in the mouth of the bay where the water was a clear deep blue. There were small sections where bleaching had occurred but the majority of the reef was healthy and full of colour.
