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• Teachers Who Inspire

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  Announcing the Science Without Borders Challenge Semi-Finalists!

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  What can be done to save coral reefs?

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  Dive into the Underwater World of Coral Reefs

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Latest Science

• National-scale marine bioregions for the Southwest Pacific

  This scientific paper, by KSLOF scientists Alex Dempsey and Sam Purkis, shows how they used data-based methods to develop the first comprehensive oceanic and marine bioregions for the South Pacific. These marine bioregions enable the design of ecologically representative national marine protected areas in Pacific nations.

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• World's Largest Marine Park: Mapping the Blue

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  This award-winning film tells the story of how Rugby League star, Kevin Iro, turned conservationist and founded the world's largest sanctuary where he used to play as a boy. By using high tech mapping from KSLOF, Iro and his team are able to show the best uses for areas within this pristine ocean park which is good for conservation and the needs of local people.

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World Reef Map

• Living Oceans Foundation Completes Global Coral Reef Atlas

  The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation has completed the World Reef Map, an online interactive coral reef atlas that allows users to explore all of the coral reefs and shallow water marine habitats mapped on the Global Reef Expedition.

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Science Without Borders®

Science Without Borders® is the overarching theme of the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation. It provides financial sponsorship of marine conservation programs and scientific research around the globe, and raises awareness of the need to preserve, protect and restore the world's oceans and aquatic resources.

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Education

• Education Portal

  Our Coral Reef Ecology Curriculum is a great resource for students and teachers. Filled with lesson plans, videos, and interactive learning exercises, our education portal engages and inspires students to learn about coral reefs and to become stewards of this vital ecosystem.

• Science without Borders^® Challenge

  The application period for the 2020 Science Without Borders® Challenge is now closed, but stay tuned to see the winning entries from this year's student art competition! This annual art contest encourages students to be creative while learning about important ocean science and conservation issues. The SWB Challenge is open to middle and high school students 11-19 years old, with prizes of up to $500 awarded to the winning entries.

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Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation

"The recent discovery that crown-of-thorns starfish, called COTS for short, can delay their transition to adulthood for at least six years means they can lie in wait without needing to feed on coral while a damaged reef heals itself, then feast on it as soon as its healthy coral has grown back." ... See MoreSee Less

Scientists tackle starfish plagues on endangered Great Barrier Reef

www.washingtonpost.com

In the past 30 years, half of the reef’s coral has been lost, largely bec...

Posted 15 hours ago  ·  

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Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation

#FactFriday: Most of the time, we think of sponges as the rectangular cleaning tool next to our sink, but did you know that sea sponges are actually animals? Most sponges are sessile, meaning that they can’t move. In order to eat, they must filter feed. Sponges have specialized cells that push water through their small pores to filter out plankton and other tiny organisms.

Learn more #FunFacts on our #Education Portal: https://buff.ly/2TUgk8q

Photo Credit: Badi Samaniego ... See MoreSee Less

Posted 3 days ago  ·  

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Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation

There's a great article today in The Economist about how corals use colorful pigments as suncreen when they are bleaching:

"The bleaching of corals is a sorry symbol for the state of the Earth’s oceans. The colourful marine invertebrates live in symbiosis with microalgae, a unicellular species that provides their spectacular hues. Bleaching happens when these tiny organisms come under stress and abandon their coral homes, leaving them white and wasted. But sometimes instead of turning white, bleached corals become even more colourful. Why they do this was unknown until now. A study in Current Biology demonstrates that such “colourful bleaching” is a sign that corals are fighting to survive. In a controlled aquarium, scientists observed that as coral cells empty of microalgae, more light bounces around internally. The corals’ natural pigments absorb this extra light, acting as a kind of sunscreen and encouraging the algae to return. Thus, some corals can restore themselves to health. This is a ray of hope, after the devastating mass bleaching—the worst yet recorded—in recent years." ... See MoreSee Less

Coloured bleaching: damaged coral’s rainbow display

espresso.economist.com

The bleaching of corals is a sorry symbol for the state of the Earth’s oc...

Posted 1 week ago  ·  

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Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation

#DidYouKnow: Some corals emit a ‘sunscreen’ in the form of a dazzling colorful display to protect them from rising sea temperatures.

We saw this display first-hand during a mass bleaching event in the British Indian Ocean Territory while on the Global Reef Expedition. ... See MoreSee Less

Scientists find coral reefs emit dazzling colours as 'sunscreen' - TechZimo

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Corals during a colourful bleaching event in the Philippines in 2010 (Credi...

Posted 1 week ago  ·  

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Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation

#FactFriday: Sometimes being the smallest has its advantages. That is true for the genus of gobies called Bryaninops. These tiny fish have a commensal relationship with corals and other immobile animals. That means that the gobies do not harm the coral, but they benefit from the relationship. For example, many of the Bryaninops gobies are able to match the color of the coral to blend in with their environment. This camouflage helps the gobies to use their host as a place to hide from predators.

Learn more fun facts on our Education Portal: https://buff.ly/2LSpbmp ... See MoreSee Less

Posted 1 week ago  ·  

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