Wildlife

Coral reef census

Despite pressures from overfishing and changing ocean conditions, some coral reefs around the world manage to defy expectations.

In a survey of more than 2,500 reefs around the world, scientists identified 15 that were surprisingly healthy, considering their proximity to large human populations or unfavourable environmental conditions, according to a new report in Nature.

Along with 15 bright spots, Cinner and his colleagues found 35 “dark spots,” areas with fewer fish than the researchers would have anticipated. The report can be found here.