Ningaloo Reef

Why in News?

New survey finds nearly 70% of corals at UNESCO-listed Ningaloo Reef have died because of Australia’s longest and most intense marine heatwave.

Recent findings of the study

• Scientists said that between their initial analyses in August 2024 and May 2025, they observed severe bleaching and estimated that 30-90% of corals across the region had been affected.
• In an assessment published in August, coral bleaching-related mortality in northern and central Ningaloo was estimated at 31-60%.
• A few resilient species, including Veron’s tube coral (Echinopora ashmorensis) and lesser knob coral (Cyphastrea microphthalma), have persisted.
• However, populations of once-dominant species such as staghorn corals (Acropora tenuis, Acropora millepora, Acropora spicifera) and the thin birdsnest coral (Seriatopora hystrix) have died.
• Researchers also found many coral branches now infested with sponges, algae, and other organisms, reducing the reef’s diversity and structural stability.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, bleaching-level heat stress affected 84.4% of the world’s coral reef area, with mass bleaching documented in at least 83 countries and territories.

Ningaloo Reef

• It is one of the world’s largest and most pristine fringing coral reef systems, located along the north-west coast of Western Australia.
• It is a fringing reef, and the reef lies very close to the shore, making it easily accessible.
• Biodiversity Hotspot - Whale sharks (world’s largest fish), Manta rays, dolphins, dugongs and Humpback whales (seasonal migration).
• Protection Status - Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2011).
• Part of the Ningaloo Coast UNESCO World Heritage area.
• Managed by - The Government of Western Australia with strict conservation rules.
• Environmental Concerns
  • Climate change and coral bleaching
  • Rising sea temperatures
  • Tourism pressure (though managed more carefully than the Great Barrier Reef)
  • Ocean acidification

Reference

Down to Earth | Ningaloo Reef