Similan Islands – Coral Bleaching

Did you know that, Corals get their beautiful color from tiny algae that lives in their tissues. The algae supply the corals with energy (sugars and amino acids) and in turn receive products essential to their survival. This ‘whitening’ of the coral is called coral bleaching and is due to a loss of the of the algae living within the tissue of the corals During this bleaching, the brownish algae disappear from the tissue of the corals, leading to colour change. This loss of the ‘nutrient factory’ in corals may lead to death of the coral 

WHY DOES CORAL BLEACHING HAPPEN?

Similan Islands Coral Bleachin

Elevated sea temperatures due to global warming caused by climate change and El Nino (unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific) are the main reason for Coral bleaching Corals have a limited temperature rang which they can live in but when the climate or water gets to hot this stresses the corals out. Very similar to human beings. when we get stressed out, we can get sick just like corals

How does coral bleaching affect me?

• corals shelter 25 % of all marine species,
• Corals protect shorelines,
• Tourist – Attraction. Whether your diving or snorkeling. Healthy Coral is always a beautiful thing to see.
• we know very little about the underwater world – This could be home to the next big, undiscovered medical breakthrough.

Is there a chance or recovery?

Similan Islands Coral Bleaching

The biggest factor as to whether a coral survives a bleaching event is the amount of time that it is exposed to elevated temperatures under high light conditions. The longer the coral is exposed, the greater the chances of mortality, with many succumbing to disease and being overgrown by algae. Corals can recovery if the stress is relieved and return to their original colour in a matter of days but unfortunately this affect will have a weakened affect on the overall health of the corals