CORAL TRIANGLE

Current Context : The Philippines is preparing to host Southeast Asia’s first coral larvae cryobank, connecting institutions in the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand to preserve coral species across the Coral Triangle.

ABOUT CORAL TRIANGLE

• Also Known As – “Amazon of the Seas.”
• Area Covered – Over 10 million sq. km of marine area.
• Member Countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Solomon Islands.
• Significance –
  • Home to 75% of the world’s coral species and 33% of reef fish species.
  • Supports 120 million people through fisheries and tourism.
  • Habitat for 6 of the 7 marine turtle species and vast mangrove forests.
• Threats – Coral bleaching, overfishing, pollution, and climate change.

ABOUT CORALS

• Nature – Marine animals that are sessile (fixed to the sea floor).
• Symbiotic Relationship – Live with algae called zooxanthellae, which provide nutrients through photosynthesis.
• Structure – Each coral unit is called a polyp, and many polyps form a colony.