Posted 2/14/2024, 3:56:00 AM
Global Coral Reefs 25% Larger Than Thought, Sparking Expanded Conservation Efforts
- The world's coral reefs are 25% larger than previously thought, totaling 348,000 km2 - the size of Germany
- High resolution satellite imagery and machine learning helped detect the additional 64,000 km2 of reefs
- Within the total reef area, 80,000 km2 likely have significant coral growth
- Reef management agencies are using the new coral reef maps to better plan conservation efforts
- The maps have already led to expanded reef conservation efforts in several countries