Researchers have found a previously unknown pristine coral reef off Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, which is supporting a rich and diverse marine life. The country’s environment ministry said on Monday (April 17) that the researchers were on a scientific expedition.
Environment Minister Jose Davalos said on Twitter: “A deepwater scientific expedition has found the first totally pristine coral reef, approximately two kilometres (1.2 miles) long, at 400 meters (deep), on the summit of a submarine mountain.” “Galapagos surprises us again!” Davalos added.
The ministry said in a statement that the scientists had believed that the only Galapagos reef to survive El Nino weather in 1982 and 1983 was one called the Wellington reef, along the coast of Darwin Island.
However, the latest discovery shows another coral has persisted. Reports have mentioned that the reef has more than 50 per cent living coral.
Stuart Banks, a senior marine researcher at the Charles Darwin Foundation, said: “We haven’t found such extensive and developed coral reefs in this depth.” Banks participated in the expedition and he further added that the coral is several thousand years old at least.
VIDEO: Pristine coral reef found deep in Galapagos waters.
Researchers on a scientific expedition have found previously unknown pristine coral reef off Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, supporting a rich, diverse marine life pic.twitter.com/65qthrnkzO
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) April 18, 2023
Galapagos national park’s director, Danny Rueda, said: “This finding is important because we’re talking about pristine ecosystems that had never been monitored or studied before.”
“Our commitment is to continue monitoring them to preserve the ecosystems and the biodiversity we’ve found here,” Rueda said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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