The worst coral whitening for reef records from Western Australia

The world-famous coral reefs along the Western Australian coast (WA) have suffered the worst record of the record after the state “the longest, the largest and most intense” sea heat, scientists say.

Between last August and this May, more heating water temperatures have led to significant heat stress on the reefs, which led to many corals to throw algae, which gives them life and color – a process called whitening, which is often fatal.

Damage – which will take months for evaluation – covers 1500 km (932 miles) and includes areas that are previously unharmed by climate change.

Coral reefs around the world suffer from a two -year global coral whitening event due to record high ocean temperatures.

Eight weeks of heat stress are usually enough to kill corals, and early estimates show that many WA reefs suffered between 15 and 30, said the Australian Marine Science Agency.

“The length and intensity of heat stress and its imprint in many regions is something we have never seen on most reefs in Western Australia,” said James Gilmore of the Australian Marine Science Institute (AIMS).

In a new report, AIMS researchers found that the 2024-25 season was “the worst coral whitening of records” for WA coral reefs through the Northwest and Central Reefs.

“The zones that were given to us, because before that they rarely or did not whiten – like Rowley Shoals, North Kimberley and Ningaloo – they were hardly hit this time. Finally, the climate heating overtook these reefs,” he said.

Ningaloo Reef is a site included in the World Heritage List, just like the Grand Barrier Reef on the east coast of Australia, which has suffered by a major coral whitening in recent years.

Last week, new report He revealed the large barrier reef – the largest coral system in the world, extending to 2300 km (1.429 miles) – has experienced its largest decline in corals for almost four decades.

Federal Minister of Environment Murray Wat told the Australian radiation corporation that the damage from the corals in Ningu “emphasized the need for Australia and the world to take emergencies, including reaching net zero emissions.”

Climate change means that the whitening events are becoming more frequent, more intensity and wider widespread, for which D -r Gilmore says

“Climate changes caused by carbon emissions remain the biggest threat to our coral reefs and all reefs globally,” he said.

Earlier, the UN warned that even if the world limited the global temperature to 1.5 ° C above the pre-industrial levels, between 70 and 90% of tropical coral reefs in the world would die.