11th May 2018


Much like in many parts of the world, rising sea-surface temperatures because of global warming, aggressive fishing and increasing siltation due to deforestation are leading to the death of corals off India’s coast.

“In terms of diversity, India ranks fourth with around 21,000 species; the first being New Zealand with around 26,000 species, followed by China with around 25,000 species, and Australia, which is home to the great barrier reef with 24,000 species,” said K Venkataraman, former director of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the national centre for survey and exploration of the fauna across the country. “Some estimates say that by 2050, all the corals in the world will be dead,” he said.

Corals are among the oldest ecosystems on earth, coming into existence nearly 500 million years ago. They also support immense biodiversity — though coral reefs occupy 0.25% of the surface area of oceans, about 25% of the world’s fish species are dependent on them. “Worldwide, corals are estimated to support 3-10 million marine plants and animals, of which only about 1.8 million have been identified,” said Venkataraman.

Corals can grow under narrow environmental conditions — low level of nutrients, temperature between 22 and 26°C, salinity between 32 and 38 practical salinity unit with more than 90% water clarity and oxygen saturation.

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