A third of coral in Great Barrier Reef ‘dead or dying’

At least 35% of corals in parts of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef are dead or dying from mass bleaching caused by global warming. Scientists made the assessment following months of aerial and underwater surveys. The worst bleaching in recorded history first became evident in March as sea temperatures rise. Terry Hughes, director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at the James Cook University said global warming was wreaking havoc on the World Heritage-listed site. Hughes added that it is the third time in 18 years that the Great Barrier Reef experienced mass bleaching due to global warming, and the current event is “much more extreme than we’ve measured before.”

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