Coral Bleaching

ocean · climate change · reefs · animals

Colorful algae partners leave. Corals get their brilliant colors from tiny algae living inside them. When stressed, corals kick out these algae roommates, turning stark white like a ghost.

Heat is the main culprit. Rising ocean temperatures from climate change are the biggest cause of bleaching. Even a few degrees warmer can stress corals enough to make them lose their algae.

Bleached corals are in danger. A white coral is starving and sick. Without its algae, the coral struggles to get energy and becomes vulnerable to disease and death.

Entire reefs can collapse. When bleaching happens on a massive scale, whole reef ecosystems can die. This harms the fish, plants, and millions of people who depend on healthy reefs for food and protection.

Ocean acid hurts corals too. When oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the air, they become more acidic. This acidification weakens coral skeletons and adds another layer of stress to struggling reefs.