In the waters surrounding the Solomon Islands, a group of explorers, including several Spaniards, has found something very unique. It is an immense coral, the largest we have found to date.
The largest coral in the world. An expedition by the National Geographic Pristine Seas team has discovered the largest coral known to date. It is a coral 34 meters wide, 32 meters long and 5.5 meters high, made up of almost a billion small polyps. This coral is estimated to be about 300 years old, but it could be even 500 years old.
“Just when we thought there was nothing left to discover on the planet, we found a gigantic coral composed of almost a billion small polyps, full of life and color,” said Enric Sala, resident explorer of National Geographic and founder, in a press release. by Pristine Seas.
The corals. Although it is easy to forget, coral reefs are colonies formed by thousands or millions of small animals, corals, which in turn serve as a refuge for many other aquatic species. We call the individual corals that make up this underwater ecosystem polyps.
Refuge for marine life. Coral polyps use the calcium carbonate in their environment to create a kind of exoskeleton around them in which they take refuge. They thus create complex structures that in turn serve as protection for other animals such as fish, crustaceans or other small invertebrates.
“Coral reefs are like lively underwater cities, hosting a quarter of all marine life on our planet. (…) They also act as the first line of defense for coastal communities, protecting against powerful waves and storms,” he explained to National Geographic Ronnie Posala, Solomon Islands Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.
Aerial view of the world’s largest coral colony in the Solomon Islands. Photography by Manu San Félix, National Geographic Pristine Seas.
A National Geographic Pristine Seas diver measures the world’s largest coral colony in the Solomon Islands. Photography by Manu San Félix, National Geographic Pristine Seas.
Taking over. The coral has become the largest coral we know of. Thus taking over from great choirs such as “Big Momma”, once considered the largest known choir. Molly Timmers, who then worked at NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), was the one who found him. You were also able to visit the newly discovered coral:
“20 years ago (…) I unexpectedly found in the western part of T’au, in American Samoa, what is now known as “Big Momma”, one of the largest corals recorded to date. Today I had the incredible opportunity to see even larger coral in the Solomon Islands. If Big Momma looked like a big ball of ice placed on the reef, the newly discovered coral looks like the ice cream has started to melt and spread across the ocean floor.”
Bittersweet news. The discovery is undoubtedly great news, but also a reminder of the importance and delicacy of these curious forms of life. Corals are not only valuable in themselves, but also for the complex relationships they weave with the life around them. Many other forms of life depend on the subsistence of these animals.
“This is a scientifically significant discovery, like finding the tallest tree in the world. But there is reason for alarm. Despite its location, this coral is not safe from global warming and other human threats,” Sala indicated in this regard.
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Cover image | Photography by Manu San Félix, National Geographic Pristine Seas
