The largest coral in the world has been found off the coast of the Solomon Islands in the Pacific, say researchers from the National Geographic Society's Pristine Seas expedition. According to the discoverers, it is at least 300 years old and in excellent condition.
The “mega coral”, as it was called, was found by participants of the National Geographic Society's Pristine Seas expedition in October off the coast of the Solomon Islands. This place belongs to an area called the Coral Triangle, where there is a large variety of corals.
As they describe, from the water surface the newly discovered coral looked like a shipwreck. After taking measurements underwater, they found that the coral was larger than a blue whale, the largest animal on Earth. Its dimensions are: 34 meters wide, 32 meters long and 5.5 meters high.
The newly discovered coral belongs to a type of hard coral called Pavona clavus because of its columns that resemble arms. It is a collection of many interconnected small organisms that together form one colony. Its dimensions indicate that it is at least 300 years old. According to researchers, it is in excellent condition, which may be due to the fact that it is in deeper waters than other coral reefs, which could protect it from the impact of climate change.
“This is a unique place and needs to be protected.”
At the ongoing COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan, Solomon Islands Climate Minister Trevor Manemahaga emphasized that his country is proud of this discovery.
“We want the world to know that this is a unique place and should be protected,” he said. He added that the Solomon Islands rely mainly on marine resources economically, so corals are very important to them. Manemahaga noted that more international support would help the country create more diverse jobs, which would reduce the number of people working in industries that threaten coral destruction.
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