Mass coral bleaching hits Great Barrier Reef for the fifth time in eight years

Hundreds of sites across most of the Great Barrier Reef are turning white from heat stress.

Aerial surveys over two-thirds of the reef have confirmed \”widespread\” bleaching, as reported by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Climate change poses the biggest threat to tropical reefs worldwide. While bleaching is not always fatal, corals are at risk of dying if temperatures remain elevated for extended periods.

Reef Authority chief scientist Roger Beeden noted bleaching at 300 sites from Cape Melville to north of Bundaberg.

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Corals are likely to die if temperatures remain higher than normal for too long. Credit: Killian Domingo

\”The results are consistent with what we have seen with above-average sea surface temperatures across the marine park for an extended period of time,\” Beeden said.

Beeden reported prevalent shallow-water coral bleaching on most surveyed reefs, with varying heat stress levels based on location.

The bleaching event mirrors global occurrences in the past year.

The Australian Institute of Marine Science emphasized the need for further assessment in the water to determine bleaching severity.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society urged the government to increase emissions targets and halt fossil fuel projects to protect reefs from escalating temperatures.

Reef campaigner Lissa Schindler highlighted the urgency of addressing climate change to prevent coral bleaching.

She criticized the government’s carbon pollution reduction target and warned of the devastating impact on coral reefs if global temperatures continue to rise.

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