World’s largest coral colony discovered off Australian coast by mother-daughter team
CNN • • world
Key Points:
- A mother-and-daughter citizen scientist team discovered the world's largest known coral colony, a Pavona clavus coral spanning about 111 meters and covering nearly 4,000 square meters on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
- The coral's size was confirmed through manual underwater measurements and high-resolution imagery, which was used to create a 3D model for ongoing monitoring of the colony's changes over time.
- The site experiences strong tidal currents and low exposure to cyclone waves, factors now being studied to understand their role in supporting such a large coral structure.
- The exact location of the coral has been kept confidential to prevent potential damage, amid broader concerns about coral bleaching affecting over 80% of the world's reefs due to rising marine temperatures.
- The discovery
