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10 CORAL TRIANGLE IMPORTANT FACTS (WHY ITS SO SPECIAL)
What's the Coral Triangle I hear you say?! Well, perhaps not, since most scuba divers know all too well of the legends of the coral triangle. For those of whom are unfamiliar, The Coral Triangle is one of the richest centers of biodiversity on the planet! Straddling six countries from its core, it’s an area of ocean that covers parts of Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, the Solomon Islands and the Philippines. It is more than magical!
1# COULD THIS BE WHERE CORAL REEFS BEGAN?
The Coral Triangle is the allfather of marine areas. SERIOUSLY! Marine Researchers believe that the Triangle was the historical point of
origin for many species of coral on Earth .
2# Corals, Corals and even More Corals!
Within the Coral Triangle we have found areas harboring more than 605 species of hard coral – the building blocks of marine biodiversity. By comparison, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef hosts fewer than 500 coral species. On the other side of the world the Caribbean Sea can boast only 61 species.
The Coral Triangle, just one per cent of the earth’s surface, has more than 75 percent of the world’s coral species and the area contains more than 30 percent of all the world’s coral reefs.
3# FISH FISH FISH
Of the 6,000 currently known species of reef fish, 37 percent of the world’s coral reef fish live in parts of the Triangle. Two hundred and thirty-five of those species are found nowhere else.
4# THE CORAL TRIANGLE HOUSES 6 out of 7 SPECIES OF SEA TURTLE
The Sea turtles know what's good, and the Coral Triangle is an absolute turtle magnet. 6 out of 7 of the world’s marine turtle species including: - hawksbill, leatherback and loggerhead can be found here.
Despite this area being a turtle haven, it is important to remember Sea Turtle populations have declined rapidly due to stressors like pollution, unsustainable fishing practices and coastal development. Turtles have been found to swim thousands of miles to nesting grounds only to find that their
beaches are disappearing.
5# BIODIVERSITY! THE AMAZON OF THE SEAS
The Amazon is the most biologically diverse place on Earth. That's why The Coral Triangle is often referred to as the ‘Amazon of the Seas.’ The region’s extreme biodiversity is impart due to the array of habitats here including volcanic islands, rocky beaches, sandy shores, and mangrove forests which made the marine species here adapt to a wide range of conditions. It’s home to 15 species found nowhere else on the planet and has more reef fish diversity than anywhere else too.
Its geographical location is where the Pacific and Indian Oceans overlap, lending to species from both bodies of water to colonize the reefs, moreover the currents bring in other species from other regions, like The Maldives too. This phenomenon is not only increasing the number of marine creatures living here, but their mixing forms new ones too.
6# Over 120 million people live in the Triangle and rely on it
The Coral Triangle is one of the largest ocean habitats in the world. Over 120 million people live in the Triangle and rely on it for food, income and protection from storms. Healthy reefs act as natural barriers that soften the blow from typhoons, storm-generated waves and tsunamis. A 2018 study found that damage to coastal communities in the Triangle caused by flooding events would nearly double without the coral reefs.
It is the loss of food stocks that has scientists like Professor Hoegh-Guldberg most concerned. More than 150 million people, many already poor, live on the shores of the coral triangle, relying on its bounty for food. "By the end of the century under the worst case scenario we could see as much as 90 per cent of those food resources having eroded," said director of the Center for Marine Studies at the University of Queensland, Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg.
7# It’s in danger exactly because of its abundance
Considering fact 4# It seems ironic that the Triangle is in critical danger because of human-produced factors. It’s in danger from localized threats like cyanide and dynamite fishing and pilfering for rare aquarium fish that live in its waters. These practices damage fish communities and the surrounding environment.
8# PLASTIC! EVEN THE MOST ABUNDANT ECO SYSTEMS ARE NOW AT RISK
Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Thailand and Vietnam, account for 60% of the annual oceanic plastic input (Ocean conservancy, 2015). With these countries all in close proximity to the Coral Triangle, plastic pollution is a significant issue for this region. The main source of ocean plastic is land based – plastic leaked from landfill and littering accounts for 80% of it (Ocean conservancy, 2015). A lack of knowledge about the consequences of littering means the cultural attitude is to throw rubbish on streets and in drains.
Introducing plastic recycling and overall better waste management to the countries of the Coral Triangle is imperative to reduce future pollution. Arguably more important though is educating the community on appropriate waste management and the consequences of failing to do so because, from knowing comes caring, and from caring comes change.
9# 90% of the reefs to be considered ‘threatened’
Mission Blue is calling for all hands on deck with conservation efforts towards the Coral Triangle The Coral Triangle is a Mission Blue Hope Spot, an area of particular importance to the oceans that we must strive to protect. These Hope Spots are the seeds of tomorrow’s healthy ocean.
10# The world's largest flow of water
The final fact and somewhat secret of the Coral Triangle and its biodiversity, is it's the world's largest flow of water. As running water from the Pacific Ocean passes through the Indonesian seawater basin, it pumps up deep sea nutrients. Not only the movement of ocean currents on the surface between complex islands, but also the rapid passage of huge amounts of water through narrow and shallow straits after passing through the deep-sea basin is a major feature of this area.
The Coral Triangle is surely special and now you know why it's so important and needs protecting. We have visited many places within Triangle and we strongly advise you to do the same if you haven't already. One such place you must absolutely check out is
Sipadan.
