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Healthy coral
While we have fun snorkeling and scuba-diving alongside the reef under the bluish sea of Pulau Perhentian or Pulau Perhentian, the corals are in the crisis of “dead or alive”. Away from its healthy and colorful state, the coral state of health started to decline when environment changes occurred in their habitat.
In the dire state of the corals condition, the Malaysian Marine Park Department had conducted checks on the status of coral bleaching in Pulau Tioman, Pulau Redang, Pulau Payar and Pulau Tinggi between June 4 and July 19, after they received reports of coral bleaching in early May.
Director-general Abd Jamal Mydin said “After being continuously exposed to high temperatures, the corals started to die off.” The health of the corals started to decline when it changes color from greenish brown to pale white. That is the reason some visitors complaint about the sightseeing below the sea that is they did not see the delighted and vivid signature colors of the corals.
The corals rely on a symbiotic algae or zooxanthellae to stay alive; this is the photosynthetic and live within their tissues. It is as well an essential to the coral’s body which provides nutrients and produces the color pigments. When the corals are under stress, they cast out the zooxanthellae thus cause the corals to bleach and appear in pale white form. After the corals started to react under stress, it continues to expel zooxanthellae even without continuing stress, if the coral colony survives the stress period, zooxanthellae often require weeks to months to return to normal density.
Global warming causes the rise of sea water temperature by 2ºC to 28-29ºC of the islands under concern, this had happened before but this time it is more significant and widespread; and had been prolonged for four weeks.
“The coral is already sick. We do not want snorkelers to step or touch the corals.
“It’ll only increase the stress,” the Director-general told the press.
To protect the rich resources and marine life of these elegant and delicate seas, as a result, the Department of Marine Park Malaysia had decided to close off areas which recorded coral bleaching of between 51 and 100 per cent and the closure will take place until Oct 31.
Bleached coral
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