How the Maldives is Saving its Coral Reefs

Age-old palm trees sway overhead. A thick green canopy provides a tranquil oasis from the Maldivian sun. As you step onto the beach the blue lagoon stretches before you and, within, a thriving coral reef waiting to be explored.
It is the natural beauty of the Maldives that brings people back, time and again. At Baros Maldives, we work hard to preserve our island’s environment, especially our coral reefs.

Aerial view of a round jetty platform over the reef beside a palm-fringed beach

In 1998 and 2016, there was an unusual increase in sea surface temperatures in the Maldives, with up to 90 per cent of corals being affected. Global warming, with rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification, has become a very real threat to the world’s coral reefs. Our skilled Marine Centre Team at Baros is committed to learning how they can help with the regeneration of the corals on our house reef.

The main ways that we are working to save our coral reef are through education and coral propagation.

Coral frames with growing coral on a sandy seabed

1.Coral propagation

Despite our best efforts, coral does break – sometimes by humans and sometimes by triggerfish looking for food. When this happens, we try to save as many fragments as possible by transplanting them onto hard substrates in a safe area, our nursery, where they can grow undisturbed. This method of ‘coral propagation’, also encourages corals to ‘clone’. Corals only reproduce once a year by releasing their eggs into the water. During the rest of the year, they simply create clones of themselves. This new ‘cloned’ coral is then transplanted to degraded or damaged parts of the reef, helping them to regenerate.

Snorkeller tending young coral on a coral frame on the sandy seabed

2. Educational opportunities at Baros

Wanting to learn more about our coral reefs? Join us at our ‘Coral Gardening Workshop for Sponsors’, where our resident Marine Biologist will teach on the coral propagation method. You will also be able to participate by collecting broken, but still living, coral fragments from the seabed and attaching them to island-made coral tables in our ‘nursery’. Your personalised name tag will be attached to record your contribution to regenerating our coral reef and participants will receive half-yearly updates for the next two years.

Aerial view of two snorkellers swimming over a shallow coral reef

A stay at Baros can turn anyone into a dedicated environmentalist. For those interested, you can learn more about the Maldivian terrestrial fauna and flora, coral biology and dangers to our reefs, as well as about the various animal species you might encounter during your stay. As your knowledge grows so too will your love for the unparalleled beauty of this island paradise.

To learn more about how Baros is protecting our environment visit our website here https://www.baros.com/environment. Join us and book your eco-responsible luxury holiday now by emailing reservations@baros.com.