Our second research mission of 2015 took the Global Reef Expedition to the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), a small island chain in the Indian Ocean and home to some of the most remote, and pristine, coral reefs on Earth – 95% of which have yet to be explored. Our work here consists of coral reef surveys and high resolution mapping of reefs in the Chagos archipelago, all of which are part of the Chagos Marine Reserve, the largest no-take marine protected area on earth. Representatives from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Nova Southeastern University, and the Chagos Conservation Trust will join our core science team on this mission.

Connecting People, Art, and Oceans: Championing Conservation at the 2025 IUCN Congress
The IUCN World Conservation Congress brings together thousands of leaders and decision-makers from governments, non-profit organizations, civil society, Indigenous groups, and the private sector to shape global conservation policy and action. This influential gathering serves as a platform to share knowledge, build partnerships, and advance initiatives that protect our planet’s biodiversity.
As a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation was honored to take part in the Congress, joining a global community of leaders, organizations, and changemakers committed to protecting nature and advancing sustainable futures.
