Giving Life to Dying Corals

Yuan Suo

There is beauty all around us. The lush forest in the mountains rejuvenate us, and the colorful sunset gives us peace. Even the maze of the highway infrastructure system gives us joy and wonder. But there is also a whole world of rich beauty just under the surface of waters across the world thanks to corals.

Coral reefs provide the natural habitat for diverse creatures under the sea. Most people are not aware that corals play an important role in the life of not only living organisms under the sea but also humans. Coral reefs shield the sea, provide for human needs such as food and medicine, and enable income and pleasure through tourism.

Unfortunately, however, one main cause of death for corals is human beings. Corals are already facing a critical problem. One common reason is illegal fishing by poor people for their livelihood. Such fishing involves the use of dynamite or cyanide, which kills corals in the process. Although global warming is also a cause of coral death, it can be argued that global warming is also a cause of human greed and inaction.

Corals are dying, and their consequences should be taken more seriously. Increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the air is causing the sea to warm and become more acidic, which causes coral bleaching and kills algae that protect corals.

So what can be done to save corals? Some simple acts such as conserving water and proper garbage disposal can be helpful. Because pollution is everywhere, encouraging coastal cleanup is important in reducing water pollution. In addition, climate change should be tackled more widely for obvious reasons. And in terms of tourism, tourists should be taught responsible tourism (e.g., not touching corals).

These and many other aggressive efforts are need to protect one of the most beautiful resources of our planet: the corals.