Coral Babies Planted on the Reef
Your valued fundraising is having an impact on the Reef right now. The Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s teams of researchers, reef managers and community partners have been out on the Reef this month making the most of a natural phenomenon called coral spawning.
Biggest (coral) party of the year
Only once a year does this big coral breeding party occur, and conditions must be perfect… spawning follows a full moon and water temperatures must have risen enough to stimulate the maturation of the egg and sperm bundles. The timing of spawning is also impacted by the length of the day, the tide and salinity levels in the water.
November’s full moon – this year a rare red or ‘blood’ moon due to the total lunar eclipse – was the signal to Great Barrier Reef corals that it was time to reproduce in a few days, in what Sir David Attenborough describes as “one of the greatest of all natural spectacles”.
Capturing the spawn
As soon as spawning begins, the team swings into action to capture the millions of coral eggs and sperm from these healthy reefs and deliver them into specially designed floating pools on the Reef and in tanks.
Scientists collect Coral Spawn on Great Barrier Reef
Growing up fast
The precious spawn bundles remain in the nursery pools for up to a week while they develop into coral babies (aka coral larvae).
Coral reef restoration during annual coral spawning
Special Delivery
When they are ready, the team delivers them onto targeted reef areas to grow into healthy young corals and bring new life to the Great Barrier Reef. Scientists estimate the coral survival rate is 100 times better through Coral IVF, improving survival from one in a million coral babies in nature to one in 10,000.
The team deliver coral babies onto damaged areas of the Reef.
Real Hope for the Reef
Researchers have found more than 60 coral colonies born through the first Great Barrier Reef Foundation Coral IVF trial on the Reef in 2016 are thriving and already producing their own coral babies, helping to boost healthy coral cover.
A coral planted through coral IVF trials on the Reef in 2016 are thriving and already producing their own coral babies.
Saving the Reef is a huge task, but having proof that this innovative, cutting-edge science works gives us hope.
Your support is vital to ensure we can continue to deliver projects like this and secure the future of our beautiful Reef for future generations.
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation thank fundraisers for their support.
