**Marine scientists warn the situation is critical as climate change intensifies threats to coral reefs.**
**Record Coral Bleaching Crisis Hits Western Australia**
**Record Coral Bleaching Crisis Hits Western Australia**
**Western Australia faces unprecedented coral bleaching after severe marine heatwave.**
World-renowned coral reefs along the coast of Western Australia (WA) have experienced unprecedented bleaching due to the state's longest and most intense marine heatwave on record, according to scientists. The extreme conditions, which occurred between August and May, led to catastrophic heat stress, forcing coral to expel vital algae responsible for their color and vitality in a process known as bleaching—often resulting in coral death.
The destruction spans a staggering 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) and impacts parts of the coral ecosystem that had previously remained unaffected by climate change. Presently, reefs around the globe are grappling with the effects of a global bleaching phenomenon driven by record high ocean temperatures.
Typically, coral cannot survive more than eight weeks of extreme heat stress, and initial assessments indicated that many reefs in WA have faced losses ranging from 15% to 30%, as reported by the Australian marine science agency. James Gilmour from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (Aims) remarked on the unparalleled length, intensity, and geographical spread of this heat event.
In a newly released study, Aims experts concluded that the 2024-25 season represents the "most severe coral bleaching on record" for WA’s coral reefs—including the northwestern and central regions. Notably, areas such as the Rowley Shoals, north Kimberley, and Ningaloo, which previously held promise for resilience against bleaching, have now been devastated. The Ningaloo Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has suffered similarly to the Great Barrier Reef on Australia’s east coast, which recently reported its greatest coral decline in four decades.
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt emphasized the urgency for Australia and the global community to take decisive action, such as achieving net-zero emissions, to combat coral damage at Ningaloo. As climate change contributes to increasingly frequent, intense, and widespread bleaching events, Gilmour highlighted the challenges facing coral reefs, which require a recovery period of 10 to 15 years but are often given little time to recuperate.
The UN has previously cautioned that even if global temperature rises are restricted to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, it is estimated that between 70% and 90% of the world’s tropical coral reefs could perish.
