Caribbean Coral Faces Devastating Threat from Extreme Ocean Temperatures

Unusually warm waters in the Caribbean Sea are causing the worst episode of coral bleaching ever recorded in the region, with high levels of heat stress threatening a catastrophic die-off of corals. This comes after one of the worst bleaching events off Florida. The warm conditions are expected to persist in the Caribbean Sea, potentially leading to a global bleaching event across all three ocean basins. Rising sea surface temperatures worldwide, driven by climate change, have weakened reefs and made corals more susceptible to disease. While the situation is alarming, efforts to raise genetically diverse corals in nurseries and restore reefs offer hope for recovery.