Now Reading: Natural tricolour coral found in Lakshadweep waters
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Natural tricolour coral found in Lakshadweep waters
A natural coral assemblage resembling the Indian tricolour has been discovered off Minicoy, Lakshadweep, by ICAR-CMFRI research scholar Alvin Anto. The image shows two Lobophyllia colonies, orange, white and green, growing next…
The Story in Brief
A natural coral assemblage resembling the Indian tricolour has been discovered off Minicoy, Lakshadweep, by ICAR-CMFRI research scholar Alvin Anto. The image shows two Lobophyllia colonies, orange, white and green, growing next to each other, with the white colony bleached after losing its symbiotic algae while its neighbour remains healthy.
CMFRI Director Grinson George said the variation in thermal stress tolerance offers critical insights for reef restoration and climate adaptation research. The institute is scaling up deployment of artificial reefs under a central government initiative to revive degraded habitats and support artisanal fishers. The finding underscores the urgent need to address rising sea temperatures.
The Indian Opinion
The tricolour coral is a striking coincidence, but the image risks being reduced to a patriotic meme while its scientific message is overlooked: one colony bleached, its twin survives. That contrast is the real news. The government’s plan to deploy artificial reefs sounds promising, but will the pace of restoration match the pace of ocean warming? A critical test will be CMFRI’s data on the specific thermal tolerance threshold of Lobophyllia.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
