Recovery and Hope Beneath the Waves

Over the past six months, our dedicated Reef Rangers team has been hard at work responding to the devastating bleaching event that hit our coral nurseries in 2024. With determination and care, they removed all dead coral and successfully repaired the damaged nursery structures. Using small fragments from the coral colonies that survived the bleaching, they have begun to regrow in our nurseries.

Although we’ve lost some biodiversity and genetic variety due to the bleaching, the coral fragments that did survive are now growing into strong, healthy colonies once again. We’ve even started outplanting some of these corals to a dozen artificial reef structures—intertwined metal cages placed on the reef—and we’re happy to report that the outplanted corals are showing promising attachment and growth.

In addition, our team has filled nine coral depth gradients with 40 coral fragments each, spaced across different depths—from 5 to 10 meters. Each gradient holds eight corals per depth level, allowing us to monitor how different coral species grow at varying depths. Photos have been taken of all corals, and we are now analyzing and measuring their sizes. A second round of measurements is planned for the final quarter of the year, allowing us to compare growth rates and identify which coral species thrive best at which depths.

Beyond coral recovery, we’re seeing a noticeable increase in fish biomass and biodiversity in the restoration area. Juvenile fish are finding safe refuge among the nursery structures and artificial reefs. Schools of fusiliers, spadefish, rabbitfish, and surgeonfish are now permanent inhabitants of our Swahili Nurseries dive site—a clear sign that the area is coming back to life.

Sadly, we have not seen our beloved resident green sea turtle, Larry, since the end of March. He had been living around our nurseries for over a year, even after developing fibropapillomatosis, a disease that had visibly affected him. In his last sighting, he appeared very unwell. We can only hope he has found another peaceful place in the ocean or that he’s receiving care elsewhere.

We remain hopeful and committed to restoring the reef and protecting marine life in Diani. Each step forward brings new life and resilience to the underwater world we care so deeply about.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our mission to grow more corals, welcome more marine species, and protect this precious ecosystem for the future.