Bleaching event and hurricane Hidaya

In recent months, our coral reef restoration project has faced significant challenges. The impact of a severe coral bleaching event and the devastating effects of Hurricane Hidaya, which swept through the south coast of Kenya in April, have taken a toll on our coral nurseries. The first and second lines of our nurseries, which are secured to the reef with ropes and concrete sinkers, were dislodged by the powerful currents and waves. One nursery was severely damaged, with its top half broken and some branches lost. Our Reef Ranger, Lireway, conducted an assessment and found that out of 1,120 corals in the 14 nurseries, only 252 survived, resulting in a survival rate of just 22.5 procent. Moreover, half of our artificial reef structures, made of intertwined metal cages, were also displaced. One larger cage was found upside down, about 10 m from its original location. All outplanted corals on these structures were either dead or missing. During our assessment, we also observed our resident green sea turtle Larry hanging at a depth gradient with dead corals. Unfortunately, Larry has developed fibropapillomatosis, a disease that causes cauliflower-like tumors around the eyes and on the skin. The future for Larry looks uncertain, adding to the challenges we face in our restoration efforts.

Despite the devastation, some corals in our nurseries have shown remarkable resilience. These survivors will be the key to our restoration efforts. We will fragment these resilient corals to refill our nurseries, ensuring that the new colonies have a better chance of surviving future challenges. As we move forward, we will also keep a close eye on Larry. We need to remain hopeful and committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all marine life in Diani.