There are still many things to discover on our planet, whether on dry land or at the bottom of the oceans. Recently, researchers discovered a huge healthy, rose-shaped coral reef off the coast of Tahiti.
A scientific research mission has uncovered one of the largest Coral reefs of the world off Tahiti, in the twilight zone of the Pacific Ocean. The discovery was made by a team led by French photographer and explorer Alexis Rosenfeld – founder of the 1 Ocean campaign – and the mission was carried out in collaboration with UNESCO. The pristine condition of the corals and the size of the reef, but also the appearance of the corals which are reminiscent of giant roses make this a rare find.
« It was magical to see magnificent corals in the shape of giant roses stretching as far as the eye might see. It was like a work of art “, declared Alexis Rosenfeld, in a statement of UNESCO. Regarding the proportions of the reef, it stretches for 3 kilometers in length at a depth of more than 30 meters. Some of the corals are over 12 meters in diameter, and scientists believe this reef may have taken more than 25 years to grow.
The discovery of this healthy reef is important given that coral reefs suffer from climate change. It indicates that there might still exist other reefs in the deep waters of the oceans. The vast majority of known coral reefs in the world are found at depths no deeper than 25 meters, and the fact that this latest find was found beyond that limit suggests that more might still be found.
