Global Reef Expedition

It’s Official: Coral Reefs are Facing a Mass Global Bleaching Event

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Today, a worldwide network of coral reef scientists announced that the world is currently experiencing its fourth global coral bleaching event, the second to hit reefs in the last 10 years. The announcement, made by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), comes at a time when coral reefs are facing a number of threats to their survival.  

Bleaching-level heat stress, caused by prolonged increases in anomalous ocean temperatures, has – and continues to be – extensive across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.

Working with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to save corals in the South Pacific

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Earlier this year the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) entered into a formal partnership to help save corals in the South Pacific region. Founded in 1999, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation …

Planning a new Marine Protected Area in the Chagos Archipelago

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Mauritius, with the support of the Zoological Society of London, hosted a workshop from 27th- 29th of February intended to allow scientists and practitioners from different parts of the world to interact with Mauritian scientists and relevant stakeholders and exchange knowledge to inform the planning, implementation, management, and financing of a proposed MPA in the Chagos Archipelago. KSLOF was invited to participate in this event and gave expert advice on 1) a strategic plan and vision for the new Chagos MPA, 2) the identification of new data inputs for zoning, marine spatial planning, ecological monitoring, and identifying technologies for illegal fishing enforcement, and 3) the importance of documenting cultural heritage and traditional ecological knowledge to integrate across the planning process….

From Space to Seabed: Researchers use satellites to analyze global reef biodiversity

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Researchers used Earth-orbiting satellites to map coral reef biodiversity at a global scale to show that areas of high habitat diversity also have high species diversity. This new satellite mapping technique, developed by researchers at the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) and the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, can help guide future efforts to identify and protect highly biodiverse reefs…

Lau Seascape Initiative

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The Lau Seascape Initiative (LSI) is a program that focuses on the conservation and protection of marine ecosystem resources in the Lau region of Fiji. With multiple stresses such as climate change and overharvesting of coastal fisheries, the Indigenous peoples of Lau, in conjunction with the NGO Conservation International, have joined together to create a roadmap for protecting Lau’s biodiversity and ecosystems while in tandem with promoting sustainable development solutions for the local stakeholders.

One of the goals of this program was to bring together scientists, traditional leaders, government officials, and the people of Lau for the LSI Planning Retreat. The retreat took place in early March of this year in Suva, Fiji’s capital city. I was asked by Conservation International to speak to the LSI group about past work conducted in Lau by The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) as well our future work with our in-country conservation partner the Pacific Blue Foundation. The title of my presentation Reefs of Lau Province: Past, Present, and Future, explains local, regional, and global context for status of the Lau reefs and what new technologies and methods KSLOF is helping refine for sustainable coral reef management…

Fire Walking

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As the sun begins to set and the lagoonal waters are calm, I begin to smell the strong aroma of burning coconut husks and leaves as we approach the beach near the village Rukua on Beqa Island. The Pacific Blue Foundation (PBF) team and I are attending a fire walking ceremony, an important cultural and spiritual exercise that has its roots strongly tied in with the Beqa Island community.

Fire walking is a traditional ritual that has been practiced in various cultures around the world for centuries. One of the most well-known places where this ritual is still performed is in the Beqa Lagoon in Fiji. This ancient tradition is not only a testament to the Fijian culture but also a spectacular event that draws tourists from all over the world…

Vote for your favorite artwork in the 2023 Science Without Borders® Challenge!

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It’s time to cast your vote for the best artwork in the 2023 Science Without Borders® Challenge! This annual art contest, run by the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, is designed to raise awareness about important ocean issues and engage students in ocean science and conservation through art.

This year’s theme is “The Sixth Extinction,” and students from around the world have submitted their best artwork of endangered species that call the ocean home. The artwork is judged in two categories based on age, with winners selected from younger students (11-14 years old) and older students (15-19 years old). But that’s not all — there’s also a “People’s Choice” award that you can help decide!

To cast your vote, simply head over to the Living Oceans Foundation’s Facebook page and “like” your favorite photo in the photo gallery of the finalist’s artwork from each age group. It’s that easy! The finalists with the most likes in each category by noon ET on Tuesday, May 16th will be crowned the “People’s Choice” winners and receive a $50 scholarship.

The largest natural explosion in a century

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Today we’re interviewing our Chief Scientist, Dr. Sam Purkis, about his latest research paper, which measured the size of the 2022 eruption of a submarine volcano in Tonga and the resulting tsunami.

Published in this month’s issue of Science Advances, the study found that the volcanic explosion in Tonga was the largest natural explosion in more than a century. The explosion was so large that it produced a tsunami that at one point was as tall as a 20 story building, and was similar in size to explosion of Krakatoa in 1883.

Q: What led you to do this research on the tsunami that hit Tonga last year?
A: It was the event itself that led us to start this study. We began work…