In October 2024, scientists on a National Geographic expedition ship in the Solomon Islands discovered the world’s largest coral. The voyage was intended to visit more isolated areas in the Pacific in order to observe the effect of global warming.
Manu San Felix, a marine biologist and videographer, found the coral when diving to investigate an interesting feature below the surface. Becuse of its size, it was initially thought by some to be a shipwreck. Felix said that he felt very emotional when looking at the coral, describing it as “close to the size of a cathedral.”
Many experts were shocked by the discovery of the coral. Pristine Seas was the program that launched the expedition. Its founder, Enric Sala, said that the coral’s discovery, composed of nearly 1 billion polyps, came at a time when the future of discovery was bleak.
Scientists measured the dimensions of the coral to be 32 meters long, 34 meters wide, and 5.5 meters high, or 105 feet long, 112 feet wide, and 18 feet high. The coral is three times larger than the previous record holder, “Big Momma,” found in American Samoa. Scientists later found that the coral was viewable from outer space by looking at satellite images.
The coral is believed to be at least 300 years old. Felix said that, when looking at his discovery, he thought, “Wow, this was here when Napoleon was alive.”
Corals play a significant role in the oceanic ecosystem and indirectly provide food to around 1 billion people. The mega coral itself is home to many fish, crabs and shrimp. However, they have become threatened as a result of climate change. Last year, coral bleaching was at an all-time high due to unprecedented high water temperatures. Derek Manzello, the coordinator of NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch, said that, “The ongoing survival of corals … is in jeopardy.” According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, more than 40% of the world’s warm water reef corals are at risk of extinction.
The discovery of the mega coral could be good news for corals in the future. Such a large coral could attract attention and funding for coral conservation, allowing more work to be done to protect these vital organisms.
