Photo of the day

The importance of reefs to our planetary health cannot be overstated. Corals are at the heart of maintaining ocean biodiversity, in addition to providing countless economic, social, recreational, and cultural benefits. Reef-building coral species harbor an estimated 32% of all marine life across the globe (excluding microbes and fungi). What’s more, we know from scientists that 91% of species in the ocean remain undescribed — meaning there are undoubtedly many more creatures out there depending on reefs for their survival. This is all particularly impressive given that corals occupy less than 0.1% of the ocean floor! Reefs are suffering from the triple threat of biodiversity breakdown, climate change, and rampant pollution, and yet, the solutions to save them already exist, such as securing marine protected areas and prioritizing coral gardening and restoration.