Australia – Discovers a large coral over 400 years old

Australian scientists have made a remarkable discovery: one of the largest and oldest coral colonies on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Like battleships, with really massive corals, with finger-shaped structures, this mass is more than 10 meters high at its base and more than 5 meters high. According to a study released on August 19, it is the widest and sixth highest point on the Great Barrier Reef. “Scientific Reports”.

What is surprising to “Muga Thampi” is that this coral was baptized (meaning “big coral” in the language of the Manbara people, the native inhabitants of the Palm Islands where this discovery took place). It lasts from 421 to 438 years Live Science. Before the colonization of Australia, which began in 1788.

Snorkellers discovered this recorded coral from Coolpudi in northeastern Australia. Nathan Cook, a marine scientist at Reef Ecologic, an Australian NGO that specializes in coral reefs, is undoubtedly one of the oldest structures in the barrier. “These massive colonies form in a hemispherical shape, probably supporting width rather than height for stability,” he said. Hard coral species are difficult to grow without breaking.

This rock is outside the Great Barrier Reef, but, according to Nathan Cook, even larger borite colonies can be found within the Barrier. “There are many corners that have not been explored. Large coral colonies may be waiting to be discovered by brave scientists.

The colony is very healthy with 70% living corals and the rest is covered with sponges and non-symbiotic algae. This is especially so because of the catastrophic effects of global warming on coral reefs. “Corals like this are becoming rare. Hopefully, we hope the ‘face brother’ will survive many more years, but it will take a big shift in the impact of human activities.